The effects of indomethacin on the tone and spontaneous activity of the human small intestine in vitro. The effects of indomethacin on the tone and spontaneous activity of muscle strips from the human terminal ileum were studied. On the longitudinal muscle layer indomethacin caused a loss of tone and a decrease in spontaneous activity. If the drug was added at the beginning of the experiment then the characteristic increase in tone was not observed. On the circular muscle layer indomethacin either initiated or markedly increased spontaneous activity of the muscle strips. Evidence from the in vitro experiments suggests that prostaglandins may be involved in the maintenance of tone of longitudinal muscle and suppression of spontaneous activity in circular muscle from the human terminal ileum.


Some pharmacological studies on the cardiotonic effects of furanosteroidal glycosides. Cardiotonic effects and cardiotoxicities of three furanosteroidal glycosides were compared with those of standard cardiac glycosides (digitoxin, gitoxin, etc.). Furanosteroidal glycosides showed positive inotropic effects in both isolated guinea-pig atria and rabbit hearts. The positive inotropic effect of 17beta-(3-furyl)-5beta,14beta-androstane-3beta,14,16beta-triol-3-bisdigitoxoside(FGBD) corresponded to that of digitoxin in isolated guinea-pig atria and frog hearts. Intravenous and oral administration of FGBD and 17beta-(3-furyl)-5beta,14beta-androstane-3beta,14,16beta-triol-3-tridigitoxoside(FGTD) in higher doses induced cardiac arrest after vomiting, bradycardia, ventricular rhythm, and ventricular fibrillation in pigeons and cats. Comparison of lethal doses between intravenous and oral administration of cardiac glycosides in pigeons and cats suggested that gastrointestinal absorption of FGBD and FGTD is inferior to that of digitoxin but superior to that of gitoxigenin bisdigitoxoside and gitoxin. Cardiotonic effects of furanosteroidal glycosides were confirmed in isolated guinea-pig, rabbit and frog hearts.


Interaction of quinidine and propranolol in experimental cardiac arrhythmias in the dog. Quinidine, propranolol and their combination were studied in atrial fibrillation induced by the topical application of acetylcholine or aconitine, injury-stimulation-induced atrial flutter and ventricular ectopic tachycardia produced by coronary occlusion in the dog. The effect of combination of quinidine and propranolol was significantly greater than that of the individual drug in atrial arrhythmias but not in ventricular arrhythmias. The study provides experimental support for the combined clinical use of quinidine and propranolol in the treatment of atrial arrhythmias.


Effects of reticular stimulation, d-amphetamine and scopolamine on acetylcholine release from the hippocampus of brainstem transected cats. The effects of i.v. and topical scopolamine and i.v. d-amphetamine were determined on spontaneous release of acetylcholine (ACh) from the dorsal hippocampus of the cat. Animals were prepared under halothane anesthesia with a brainstem transection and either intact or transected fornices. Subsequently, they were placed on room air. ACh was bioassayed using the leech muscle preparation. The amount of spontaneous ACh release varied markedly with each animal with a range of 10 to 21.5 ng/cm2/10 min. There was no mean difference in ACh release between midpontine pretrigeminal and midcollicular brainstem transections. Stimulation of the mesencephalic reticular formation with 300 H/e every sec for 9 sec produced a 28% increase in ACh release from the hippocampus in midpontine pretrigeminal brainstem transected preparations. After section of both fornices, spontaneous ACh release was not altered, although the increased release due to reticular formation stimulation was prevented. d-Amphetamine, in doses of 2.5 mg/kg given i.v., also produced an increase in ACh release from the hippocampus in midpontine pretrigeminal brainstem transected preparations. The d-amphetamine increase in ACh release from the hippocampus was also prevented when both fornices were cut. In contrast, scopolamine in doses of 0.75 mg/kg i.v. increased ACh release in midpontine pretrigeminal brainstem transected cats, either with intact or cut fornices. Topical application of scopolamine (1 microng/ml) to the hippocampus (with or without cut fornices) caused an increase in hippocampal ACh release. It is concluded that the spontaneous or evoked release of ACh from the cat hippocampus provides additional evidence for its role as a neurotransmitter.


Effects of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, adrenolytic compounds, pimozide and other neuroleptics, on the narcotic cue. Using a two-lever food-reinforced operant procedure, rats (n=11) were trained to discriminate the narcotic analgesic fentanyl (0.04 mg/kg, s.c.) from saline. In rats so trained, alpha methyl-p-tyrosine (150 mg/kg, i.p.) was found not to affect the discriminability of fentanyl. Pretreatment (s.c.) with either adrenolytic compounds (10 mg/kg aceperone, 40 mg/kg dibenamine, 10 mg/kg phenoxybenzamine, 20 mg/kg propranolol) or sedative neuroleptics (0.63 mg/kg azaperone, 1.25 mg/kg chlorpromazine, 10 mg/kg pipamperone) likewise failed to attenuate the narcotic cue. Pimozide (0.63 mg/kg) and, to some extent, spiperone (0.04 mg/kg) reduced the percentage of responding on the selected lever, and pimozide antagonized drug lever selection in some animals. The results suggest that specific neuroleptics (e.g. pimozide) may affect the subjective effects induced by narcotics in humans.


Neurochemical properties of 3,3-dimethyl-1-[3-(methylamino) propyl]-1-phenylindan HCl (LU 3-049) and selected tricyclic antidepressants. Lu 3-049 was compared to certain antidepressants on biogenic amine metabolism. Like desipramine, Lu 3-049 was found to possess potent and selective inhibitory effects on norepinephrine uptake. In rat brain and mouse heart, both agents were found to be considerably more potent than imipramine and chlorimipramine. Unlike the latter, Lu 3-049 and desipramine possessed weak inhibitory effects on serotonin uptake in brain or spleen. Brain norepinephrine levels were unaltered following single or repeated doses of either agent. Desipramine caused a marked increase in norepinephrine turnover; Lu 3-049 caused no change or a slight decrease in turnover. Lu 3-049 had neither inhibitory effects on monoamineoxidase activity in brain or liver nor affected norepinephrine release from brain slices. Presumptive of inhibition of amphetamine metabolism, and in decreasing order of potency, iprindole, desipramine and Lu 3-049 elevated brain levels of amphetamine. Thus, Lu 3-049 shares some but not all of the biochemical properties of tricyclic antidepressants.


Determination of lead III Q waves significance. Utility of deep inspiration. The relative clinical significance of lead III Q waves and the effect of inspiration has received added impetus after the finding that Q waves have predictive value for coronary artery disease and asynergy. We studied the effect of deep inspiration on Q waves in leads III and aVF in 31 patients and correlated it with the findings at cardiac catheterization. We found that phasic respiration can alter Q-wave duration significantly in leads III and aVF, regardless of the presence or absence of significant associated coronary artery disease and asynergy, and is therefore of no clinical value in this regard.


Tonometry screening on the medical service. Screening for glaucoma by Schiotz tonometry was carried out for two years on a general medical service. Of the 61% of patients who were over the age of 45 years, 5.5% had pressures equal to or greater than 21 mm Hg and were referred for ophthalmologic evaluation; 44% of those referred were diagnosed as having glaucoma or suspected glaucoma. The overall prevalence of glaucoma in patients on the general medical inpatient service was 3.3%. Because of the high prevalence of glaucoma in the population surveyed, the low incidence of side-effects of tonometry, the small amount of time required to perform tonometry, and the relatively high percentage of glaucoma patients found by routine tonometry used regularly, the present experience supports the view that Schiotz tonometry is a useful procedure for the internist to perform.


Metastatic pulmonary calcification in primary hyperparathyroidism. Metastic pulmonary calcification (MPC) developed in a patient with primary hyperparathyroidism. Renal function was only minimally impaired (creatine clearance of 65 ml/min) the day prior to appearance of the lung infiltrate, but deteriorated (creatinine clearance of 14 ml/min) concomitantly with the appearance of MPC. Lung imaging with 99mTc bone-scanning agents helps differentiate MPC from other problems with similar clinical and roentgenographic findings, thus allowing prompt therapy.


RBC transfusions in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Frozen-thawed, deglycerolized RBCs can be substituted for saline-washed RBCs for transfusion of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). The effect of transfusion is to decrease bone marrow production of RBCS, which results in a decreased percentage of complement-sensitive erythrocytes. In the presence of small numbers of complement-sensitive erythrocytes, major vascular surgery can be performed without hemolytic problems. This study suggests that the percentage of complement-sensitive RBCs, as well as the complement sensitivity of these cells, influence the severity of hemolysis in persons with PNH.


Surface fixation as a rapid test for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Surface fixation is a rapid and simple method for the detection of antigen-antibody reactions. It has been used as an epidemiologic and diagnostic criterium for brucellosis, typhus and typhoid fever and recently found to be an encouraging test for amebiasis. Data concerning its application in toxoplasmosis has been considered a justified addition to the more complicated procedures used for the diagnosis of this infection, which has become a world-wide problem. It may thus be used as a screening test, as well as a simplified method of titration of postive sera.


[Chromosome analysis in professional subjects exposed to lead contamination]. Chromosomes were analyzed in cultured lymphocytes of 44 male workers from a lead oxide factory, and from a control group of 15 nonexposed individuals. Lead concentration in blood ranged from 30 to 75 mug/100 ml in exposed subjects and from 15 to 35 mug/10 ml in controls. Length of exposure to lead ranged from one month to 11 years eight months. In subjects occupationally exposed to lead, a significant increase in chromatid and chromosome aberrations was found. The frequency of such findings parallels exposure time to lead.


[Hemodialysis with low sodium concentration in hypertensive uremic children]. In three hypertensive uremic children in whom hypertension was not controlled by sodium-free diet, ultrafiltration and hypotensive drugs, a total of twenty low sodium concentration hemodialyses were carried out. In all patients there was insignificant sodium excretion in urine and diastolic blood pressure diminished 10 to 20 mm Hg; two patients showed also reduction of systolic blood pressure. No important changes were seen in the serum concentrations of sodium, calcium and glucose. In one patient improvement of his retin lesions, as well as radiological reduction of heart size were observed. In other two cases, cardio-respiratory symptoms associated with hypertension disappeared. In all but two of them hypotensive drugs were withdrawn; in the other one dose was reduced. With low sodium concentration hemodialysis, sodium extraction was higher than that obtained when using the conventional dialysis solution. Interchangeable sodium decreased in all patients.


[Comparison of the antitrypsin activity levels in serum of normal subjects and cancer patients]. Antitrypsin activity was studied in 62 sera of patients with cancer and in healthy volunteers. In 68% of the former there was diminished the activity of the trypsin inhibitor. Arbitarily 100 was established as the mean value for normal sera; the mean value found for cancer population was 83.62+/-27.05 (P less than 0.05).


[Physiology of the ovary. VI. Anovulatory menstruation]. In 65 patients with menstrual cycle alterations--in it's length and/or amount of bleeding--estradiol-progesterone relationship was studied. The plasma levels of these hormones were correlated with basal temperature, length of menstrual cycle and histologic study of endometrium. The patient- were grouped as follows: I excessive menstrual bleeding; II short menstrual cycles; III long menstrual cycles; IV increment of bleeding period and, V uterine hemorrhage. All patients had an anovulatory menstrual cycle; peripheral concentration of progeseterone was less than 6 ng/ml and mean concentration of estradiol was not statistically higher than that found in normal patients (83+/-23 pg/ml). Based upon these findings, it is postulated that the term of hyperestrogenism or excessive estrogen production should not be used when referring to these menstrual cycle alterations.


[Gonadotropin reserve in anorexia nervosa]. Four patients with anorexia nervosa were studied. All patients in the acute stage of the illness had low serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels which were unresponsive to clomiphene. The four women showed almost no LH response on a single iv injection of 100 mug LH-RH; however, the FSH response was similar to that of normal eumenorrheic women. When the patients had regained weight the LH levels were normal, and they responded normally to LH-RH. These results seem to suggest that impaired hypothalamic function is the cause of gonadotropin deficiency in most patients with anorexia nervosa.


Localization of alpha-Galactomannan on the surface of Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells by scanning electron microscopy. Galactomannan was localized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy on the cells and cell walls of Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The markers were prepared from colloidal gold granules labelled with an alpha-galactopyranosyl-binding lectin isolated from the seeds of Bandeiraea simplicifolia. Part or all of this alpha-galactomannan was present in the outer layer of the cell wall and was uniformly distributed even on the fission scars.


Assimilatory nitrate reductase from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. A soluble nitrate reductase from the bacterium Acinetobacter calcoaceticus grown on nitrate has been characterized. The reduction of nitrate to nitrite is mediated by an enzyme of 96000 molecular weight that can use as electron donors either viologen dyes chemically reduced with dithionite or enzymatically reduced with NAD(P)H, through specific diaphorases which utilize viologens as electron acceptors. Nitrate reductase activity is molybdenumdependent as shown by tungstate antagonistic experiments and is sensitive to--SH reagents and metal chelators such as KCN. The enzyme synthesis is repressed by ammonia. Moreover, nitrate reductase activity undergoes a quick inactivation either by dithionite and temperature or by dithionite in the presence of small amounts of nitrate. Cyanate prevents this inactivating process and can restore the activity once the inactivation had occurred, thus suggesting that an interconversion mechanism may participate in the regulation of Acinetobacter nitrate reductase.


[Utilization of trimethylammonium-compounds by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (author's transl)]. The utilization of carnitine and carnitine derivatives (O-acylcarnitines, carnitine carboxylderivatives) and structure-related trimethylammonium-compounds (betaines and nitrogen-bases) by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was studied by means of the control of growth and the quantitative detection of metabolites. The strain grew only on L-carnitine, L-O-acylcarnitines, and gamma-butyrobetaine as the sole carbon sources. The utilization of these compounds and the growth correlated with the cleavage of the C-N bond and thereby with the formation of trimethylamin. D-Carnitine was metabolized, if an additional carbon source, like L-carnitine, was present in the incubation mixture, or if the bacteria were preincubated with L- or DL-carnitine, but no growth was observed on D-carnitine as the sole carbon source. The bacteria oxidized choline to glycinebetaine in the presence of additional carbon sources, glycinebetaine itself was not assimilated. With regard to the catabolism of quaternary nitrogen compounds Acinetobacter calcoaceticus shows a different pathway in comparison with other bacterial species metabolizing carnitine.


The mitochondrial complex in Cryptophyceae. The unitary nature of the mitochondrion and the characteristic flattened finger-like morphology of the cristae were demonstrated in the Cryptophyceae. Hemiselmis rufescens contained an unbranched vermiform mitochondrion in contrast to the variously branched complex. comprising an interconnected peripheral and central reticulum, in Chroomonas sp. and strains of Cryptomonas. The systematic value of the shape and distribution of the mitochondria in the examined genera was suggested.


[Contribution to the experimental haemophilus infection (haemophilus parahemolyticus, haemophilus parasuis) in specific pathogen-free piglets. 1. microbiology, experimental arrangement, results]. Experimental infections were applied to specific pathogen free (SPF) piglets and store pigs, using five haemophilus (H.) parahaemolyticus and two H.-parasuis strains. Different germs counts and modes of application were chosen for each of the animals involved (intratracheal, intranasal, and subcutaneous routes). Clinical and pathologico-anatomic changes typical of haemorrhagic-necrotising pleuropneumonia were obtained from all germ counts and methods of application. Only one of the test animals could be successfully infected to exhibit manifestations of pneumonia or serositis when H. parasuis was used. The high pathogenicity of H. parahaemolyticus, as recorded from the above experiments, was in agreement with the growing incidence of that haemophilosis recordable for some time from pig stock.


[Characterization of the lipopolysaccharides of various Pasteurella multocida strains]. The occurrence of monosacharides, glucosamine, galactosamine, L-glycero-D-mannoheptose, D-glycero-D-mannoheptose, glucose, and galactose in the lipopolysaccharides of Pasteurella multocida is likely to support subdivision into four chemical types which, however, are not equivalent with serotypes.


[Problems in the use of radioactively marked bacteria in animal experiments. 1. Labeling of Pasteurella multocida, Pasteurella haemolytica and Salmonella dublin with eH, 14C, 32P, 59Fe, 99mTc, 125J1]. Several methods are suggested by which to use the radionuclides 3H, 14C, 32P, 59Fe, 99mTc, and 125J for labelling or doublelabelling of Pasteurella multocida, Pasteurella haemolytica, and Salmonella dublin, with particular reference being made to labelling ofr animal experiments. Suitable radioactive substrates for internal labelling in chemically defined or partially defined nutritive media include 3H-thymin, 3H-thymidine, 14C-glucose, 14C-mannose, 14C-aspartic acid, as well as 3H-uracil, 3H-uridine, 3H-orotic acid, 14C-orotic acid, 59Fe-III-citrate or chloride, and Na2H32PO4. The choise of the nuclide and substrate should by governed by the problem at hand.


[Intestinal absorption of colostrum components--a review]. Reference is made to the importance of maternal antibody to immunological protection of the newborn. For the majority of newborn domestic animals evidence has been produced to the effect that the intestine can absorb intact antibody from foremilk. Discussed in this context are the time limitation of that capability and its possible causes, such as enzymatic degradation of immunoglobulins in the intestinal lumen or epithelial cells, disappearance of the capability of epithelial cells for intracellular intake of macromolecules or for transport of incorporated molecules into the circulation, and the replacement of epithelium by non-absorptive border cells. Possibilities to control antibody absorption are suggested.


[The reaction of calves to parenteral administration of cyclopheosphamide]. One single injection of 50 mg/kg live weight cyclophosphamide or more to calves was followed by a latency of few days after which pneumonia or enteritis developed and caused death within one or two weeks. Cyclophosphamide application led to pronounced changes in the white blood count characterised, at the beginning, by rise of neutrophilic granulocytes and decline of lymphocates. Primary rise of granulocytes then was followed by almost complete disappearance of them. In those calves that survived the parameters of the white blood count were not restoredto normal until several weeks had elapsed. While an injection of 30 mg/kgcyclophosphamide usually was tolerated without any visible clinical reaction, it was also accompanied by the above pronounced changes in the white blood count. The activity of the reticulohistiocytary system, as recordable by means of ink and bacterial clearance, was not markedly affected by one single injection of 30mg/kg or 40 mg/kg cyclophosphamide. Calves with cyclophosphamide treatment exhibited unambigous humoral immune response, yet somewhat delayed or reduced in comparison to controls. While one single intravenous injectionof 30 mg/kg cyclophosphamide alone failed to trigger any clinical disease, it proved to be capable of rendering calves more susceptible to pneumonia pathogens. It, therefore, might be suitable for supporting experimental infection and thus facilitating the study of enzootic pneumonia of calf which usually is difficult to reproduce.


[Studies on calf salmonellosis. 3. Preclinical evaluation of a Smd. Salmonella dublin live vaccine]. Results of preclinical assay, preparation and conservation of a S.-dublin live vaccine based on streptomycin dependent mutants and for oral application are demonstrated and discussed in detail. The used oral vaccine is very good tolerated by calves and results in stable immunity after administration of a daily dose of 5 x 10(10) bis 1 x 10(11) living Smd.-mutants for 10 consecutive days. Complete immunity developes in calves within a period of two weeks after the last antigen administration and persists up to the age of 5 to 6 months. Conserving the vaccine at low temperatures (-15 degrees C) the number of living organism is far-reaching preserved in the first 5 months after preparation. After thawing the vaccine is to be used within a period of 3 days. With respect to the preparation of the live vaccine on semisynthetic nutritiv media some informations are given concerning the improvement of bacterial yield.


[Studies on calf salmonellosis. 4. Oral and parenteral immunization with live (Smd) and killed antigens]. Reported are results obtained from studies into oral and parenteral immunisation of calf. The approaches had included the use of live (Smd) or dead antigen from Salmonella (S.) dublin and a combination of the two immunisation methods. Live antigen (Smd) was superior to thermally activated dead antigen, when the oral route was used to prevent S.-dublin injection of calves. The above findings were supported by results from analogous studies in which S. typhimurium and S. dublin or live antigen (Smd) or dead antigen, made of the two, had been applied to mice. (One single subcutaneous) parenteral administration did hardly reveal any difference in favour of live vaccine (Smd). Parenteral administration of live or dead antigen proved to be less effective than repeated oral immunisation, particularly when live vaccine (Smd) was used. Immunity not less than up to six months of age against S. dublin wild strain infection can be provided for young calves by oral immunisation, with Smd vaccine (5. 1010 to 1. 1011 live germs/d) being given on ten consecutive days. Calves orally immunised with live antigen (ten repetitive applications of Smd mutants) are likely to develop an antibody titre (H-agglutinins) against S. dublin. Parenteral boostering,using live antigen, has been accompanied by sensitisation due to oral live antigen administration as well as by dose dependence, as was seen from the bactericidal values. Sensitisation was established from orally immunised calves up to three months old (typical booster reaction). Some of it was attributabale to confrontation with wild strains of Salmonella. The H-agglutinin titres of animals aged threemonths in a calf herd with salmonelloses in which all animals had been orally Smd-immunised were close to those recorded from calves in stocks with no salmonellosis occurrence. Under the conditions of oral immunisation, there had obviously been no action of the wild strain which might have triggered intensive antibody formation.


The impact of community mental health centers on the utilization of services. The impact of community mental health centers on the utilization of psychiatric services in Monroe County, New York, was evaluated by means of data from the Monroe County Psychiatric Case Register. The catchment areas that received centers served as their own controls. In addition, yearly utilization rates were compared for areas that obtained centers with those remaining centerless. Utilization rates increased markedly in catchment areas with centers, while the percentage of patients seen at the Rochester Psychiatric Center decreased from all catchment areas. Community mental health centers increased the utilization rates of the poor, children, and young adults, while the treatment needs of patient subgroups such as alcoholics, drug addicts, and the elderly were last to be addressed. The data do not evaluate issues such as the character, quality, and effectiveness of care.


Decision to admit. Criteria for admission and readmission to a Veterans Administration hospital. Factors related to the decision to hospitalize applicants for psychiatric treatment at a Veterans Administration hospital were explored. For a three-week period, decision makers completed questionnaires following interviews with applicants. It was found that 79% of applicants were "revolving door" patients. These patients were much less likely to be married, and more likely to be homeless and diagnosed as schizophrenic, than patients without previous hospitalizations. A small number of patients were admitted because of characteristics of their illness regardless of their social situations. Patients were not hospitalized on the basis of social or nonpsychiatric criteria alone. A large number were admitted because of a combination of factors, some social in nature and others related to their psychopathology. A social process taking place in the screening interview appeared to have some influence in the decision to admit.


On the classification of families. A progress report. A review of the literature over the last 20 years on family classification is presented with an aim toward integration of existing approaches. Family schemas are organized into the following groups: (1) style of adaptation, (2) developmental family stage, (3) initial problem or diagnosis of the identified patient, (4) family theme or dimension, and (5) types of marital relationship. Six family types are presented based on a descriptive comparison of the schemas as grouped above, and implications for clinical course and prognosis are summarized. A multidimensional as opposed to a typological model for family classification is suggested.


The lithium librarian. An international index. Lithium salts are being widely used for treatment and prophylaxis of bipolar affective disorder (manic-depressive psychosis) and are under investigation in more than 30 other illnesses. The relevant literature has grown from 43 articles published between 1949 and 1964 to nearly 4,000 today. A computer-based lithium librarian program has been developed that provides an up-to-date registry of all lithium references, rapid search capability, constant availability, and easy transferability to identical computer systems located on three continents. References provided by the system are more complete, more rapidly available, and less costly than references obtained from other bibliographic services. This specific response to the rapidly expanding lithium literature provides a model for comprehensive aquisition and searching of other specialized subjects areas needed by clinicians and researchers.


Diazepam effect on reflex activity in patients with complete spinal lesions and in those with other causes of spasticity. The effects of diazepam on reflex pathways in patients having complete spinal lesions and in patients having incomplete lesions of the spinal cord or multiple sclerosis are compared to determine whether diazepam has an action at spinal level. The drug produced no significant alteration in the excitability of the monosynaptic arc in the patients with complete spinal lesions. In contrast, in the group with incomplete spinal lesions or multiple sclerosis, diazepam reduced the excitability of the monosynaptic arc. This action did not appear to result from a reduction in fusimotor drive. Diazepam also reduced the tonic vibration reflex in this group. It is postulated that these effects may be due to a supraspinal action of the drug.


General anesthesia use in phenol intramuscular neurolysis in young children with spasticity. This study reviews a nearly three-year experience of intramuscular neurolysis in children with spasticity. Thirteen children aged 3 to 11 years received general anesthesia during 16 procedures. Ten were cerebral palsy patients, one a congenital hydrocephalic, one a familial spastic paraplegic, and one a brain-injured child. Types of preoperative medications, induction and maintenance anesthetic agents are described, with indications for the particular choices of each type of drug. The principal and side effects of these agents during and after the 16 procedures are summarized. A combination of agents such as chloral hydrate; atropine if endotracheal intubation is necessary; pentothal, halothane, or cyclopropane for induction, and halothane-nitrous oxide for maintenance is our current choice of drugs to produce a light surgical plane of anesthesia. Advantages and disadvantages of the operating room method are considered. An overnight hospital stay was sufficient for all but two children, who required an additional evening of observation as the result of anesthetic side effects. No major complications were encountered in any of these elective procedures. The presence of a pediatric anesthesiologist during the procedure is perhaps to most reassuring aspect of the operating room-general anesthesia method.


Amitriptyline in severely depressed spinal cord-injured patients: rapidity of response. Nine severely depressed spinal cord-injured patients, six quadriplegic and three paraplegis, required psychiatric consultations and were treated with amitriptyline, with particular attention to the speed of response. The degree of depression was rated by using an Emergency Depression Rating Scale for Plegic Patients designed by one of the authors. All the study patients were initially rated as severely depressed, and within 72 hours their rating scores rose to the upper level of mild depression. These findings contrast with the accepted and widely reported phenomenon that in physically intact depressed patients, a positive response to tricyclic antidepressants is seen only after a 14- to 21-day interval. Several possible explanations of these findings are given, yet further in-depth explorations into the effects of tricyclic antidepressant medication on neurologically damaged patients are needed.


Voice controlled wheelchair.

Voice controlled wheelchair. A voice recognition and control system for use by quadriplegics and other severely physically disabled individuals in controlling a wheelchair has been developed and tested. Several wheelchair compatible features are included in the design--low power consumption (approximately 20 watts), small size (10"x11"x14"), low weight (approximately 22 lb), and no need for wheelchair modification (existing joystick control cable plugs directly into this system). The current system uses an eight word vocabulary (e.g., "forward," "slower," "right,") and a feedback control system to maintain the chair speed and direction. A recognition rate of more than 90% has been attained in laboratory tests with experienced speakers. Future system improvements are planned to increase the recognition rate and practical utility of the chair. The results of laboratory tests with normal and quadriplegic subjects indicate that voice commands are potentially a useful and practical means of wheelchair control. The effects of environmental noise are investigated and found to be minimally deleterious.


Infantile Erb's palsy (Smellie's palsy). Our experience with 32 infants seen with Erb's palsy, of whom 11 were followed as long as 18 years, suggests two management axioms. First, it is probably harmful to the infant to use airplane splints. Seocnd, passive stretching of the tight scapulohumeral adductors and passive normal range of motion exercises to shoulder and elbow will usually give a successful outcome in this obstetrical complication. Finally, even though the shoulder muscles regain their strenght, the "Erb engram" may remain as a mark of Erb's palsy.


Sex, politics, and personality: a multidimensional study of college students. Two-hundred undergraduate students (100 males, 100 females matched on age and school year) in university dormitories were administered measures of sexual attitude and behavior, individual differences in stimulation seeking, personality, and political orientation (liberal-conservative). Factor analysis using the Harris interpretation strategy was applied to the data. Clear sexuality factors, with generally little contribution of the personality and political-orientation variables, were obtained.


Sexual arousal in women: a comparison of cognitive and physiological responses by continuous measurement. Six sexually normal women were exposed to a wide variety of erotic video tapes while vaginal, groin, and breast vasocongestion measures were tkane. The women indicated their level of sexual arousal while viewing the tapes by positioning a lever device along a calibrated scale. The results indicated highly significant positive correlations among the cognitive and physiological measures for five out of six individual subjects, although the pooled group data failed to show significance. The methodology described in this research shows promise as a diagnostic and research tool.


Variability of stimulus effect in the course of phallometric testing. To study the serial effect in phallometric experiments, several sexual stimuli (film scenes) were presented in different orders to 56 subjects in four groups. All stimuli were presented at a relatively constant basal level of penile volume after the subjects' engagement in a nonsexual cognitive task. Serial effects occurred. At the beginning of the session, the magnitude of penile response did not depend on the content of sexual stimuli, the second stimulus eliciting a higher effect than the first. The differential effect of stimuli occurred only when they were shown in the third or fourth position. Finally, it was demonstrated that the effect of the stimulus depends to some extent on the effect of the preceding stimulus.


The clinical profile of male transsexuals living as females vs. those living as males. The clinical profiles of five male groups were compared: transsexuals who live as females (FEM), those who live as males (MAL), homosexual patients (HOP), homosexual controls (HOC), and heterosexual controls (CON). The MAL group showed psychotic features on the MMPI and a greater frequency of suicide attempts than the other groups. Their sexual behavior was incongruous in that they have substantial sexual contact with men but less often desired sexual contact with men. They also less often desired to handle the penis of an adult man or to kiss him on the lips. They were more likely to find handling another's penis disgusting. However, they showed considerable involvement of their penis in sex relations with men. The FEM group, in contrast, had MMPI profiles suggestive of character disorders and tended to engage in antisocial behavior. Both MAL and FEM groups were similar in MMPI and 16 PF "femininity." The HOP group showed overall similarity to MAL but was not as pathological. The HOC and CON groups were similar in being normal but their sexual behavior differed, as expected. The paradoxical behavior of MAL is discussed as well as the parallel of the FEM group's behavior to that of criminals.


Medical sex education: allowing attitude alteration. Medical sex education courses throughout the United States are quite variable in design, strategy, format, and goals. This article reviews the findings of the published studies, and examines the effect of medical sex education on both students' sexual attitudes toward self and others and students' attitudes toward women. This study used a simple pre- and postcourse measuring design with a matched sampling technique. Data derived from 41 matched subjects support the effectiveness of the medical sex education course in altering students' attitudes by increasing their tolerance of others' sexual behavior and fantasy, as well as influencing their own tolerance of their own sexual fantasies. Little to no effect on students' own sexual behavior was noted. The data replicate the attitudinal effects of a medical sex education course conducted with a markedly different regional population and a different course format. A most striking finding is that following a medical sex education course, students are noted to be less dogmatic in nonsexual opinion, as measured by the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale.


Childhood indicators of male homosexuality. Questionnaires were administered to 206 male homosexuals and 78 male heterosexuals. The most important aspects of the questionnaire dealt with six "childhood indicators" of later adult homosexuality: (1) interest in dolls, (2) cross-dressing, (3) preference for company of girls rather than boys in childhood games, (4) preference for company of older women rather than older men, (5) being regarded by other boys as a sissy, (6) sexual interest in other boys rather than girls in childhood sex play. Significant differences were found between homosexuals and heterosexuals with respect to all six indicators. Moreover, it was found that the stronger one's homosexual orientation the greater was the number of childhood indicators. It is concluded that there are behavioral aspects related to one's sexual orientation which may begin to emerge early in childhood.


Hyperparathyroidism due to single gland enlargement: prospective postoperative study. Subtotal parathyroidectomy in all patients with primary hyperparathyroidism has been proposed by several authors. Their data suggest that hyperparathyroidism may recur in up to 30% of patients treated by a conservative operation. This recurrence is attributed to chief-cell hyperplasia as the pathology in one third to one half of all patients. A conservative operation was performed on 198 hyperparathyroid patients with a single enlarged parathyroid gland between 1968 and 1970. Mild elevation of the serum calcium level was noted in two patients three months after operation. Normal serum calcium values were noted each time they were measured in the remaining patients. The present study does not support subtotal parathyroidectomy in all patients with hyperparathyroidism.


Parathyroid autotransplantation.

Parathyroid autotransplantation. Autotransplantation of the parathyroid to the forearm has been performed in eight patients following total or subtotal parathyroidectomy. The mass of gland implanted was approximately one half that used in other series. Bilateral simultaneous parathormone levels drawn at three months after autografting several higher levels in the autografted arm in every patient examined. Replacement calcium and vitamin D therapy were withdrawn from two patients within eight months after transplant, and it is anticipated that all patients will be off maintenance at 12 months. Electron and light microscopy of grafted tissue has revealed viable glands with intracellular secretory granules, many mitochondria, and little fat. Indications for autotransplantation include patients with refractory renal osteodystrophy, reoperations for primary hyperparathyroidism, and extensive extirpative cancer surgery of the head and neck.


Thyroid disease following irradiation for benign conditions. One hundred twenty-five patients with a history of prior irradiation to the head and neck region for benign disease underwent thyroidectomies between 1967 and 1976 at Evanston Hospital. One hundred twenty-four had a palpable abnormality. Forty-two had carcinoma, and nine of these had nodal metastases. Palpation was found to be more accurate than thyroid isotope scan in finding carcinoma within an abnormal gland. Some form of irradiation thyroiditis was found in one half of the resected specimens.


Limb-preserving vascular surgery for malignant tumors of the lower extremity. Monobloc soft-part resections have been carried out with excision of segments of the illac and femoral vessels in seven patients with cancer in the lower extremity. Amputation would have been necessary otherwise. Ischemic loss of the extremity did not occur. In four of the earlier patients, vascular reconstruction was not performed, and postoperative lymphedema was a major complication. In the recently treated three patients, complete reconstitution of the circulation by simultaneous arterial and venous grafting permitted smooth postoperative recovery and absence of notable edema. Creation of a distal arteriovenous fistula appears essential to maintain venous patency. Six of the seven patients are alive at six months, 1, 3, 4, 7, and 18 years, respectively. One patient died of pulmonary metastases at three years after operation. Two patients developed local recurrences requiring limb disarticulation, both in the earlier group in which excision and grafting of both artery and vein was not done. It is concluded that excision and simultaneous reconstruction of major blood vessels can extend the scope of soft-part resections for cancer of the extremities, offering opportunities for preservation of limbs that would otherwise require amputation for control of disease.


Translumbar aortography: a study of its safety and usefulness. We reviewed that clinical courses of 14,550 patients in whom translumbar aortography was performed. The principal aim of the survey was to determine the incidence of major and fatal complications attributable to this diagnostic study, as an index of its safety. We found that in this group, seven major (0.05%) and two fatal (0.014%) complications occurred. The corresponding incidences for transfemoral catheter aortography reported in the literature were found to be 1.34% and 0.06%, respectively. Translumbar aortography, when performed under the proper indications and appropriate conditions, has a degree of safety equal to or greater than that of transfemoral catheter aortography, and its diagnostic reliability within its technical scope is high.


Renal artery dissections.

Renal artery dissections. Renal artery dissections encountered in 15 patients, aged 3 to 75 years, were categorized as to pathogenesis (blunt abdominal trauma, catheter injury, and spontaneous). Blunt traumatic dissections (seven patients) were characterized by hypertension, gross hematuria, and pain. Catheter-induced dissections (four patients) were asymptomatic, although two exhibited accelerated hypertension. Spontaneous dissections (four patients) were all associated with preexistent arterial disease. Symptoms in these patients were uncommon, despite accelerated hypertension in three cases. Intravenous pyelography lacked specific diagnostic value for renal artery dissections. Early arteriographic examination proved essential in diagnosis and surgical treatment. Criteria for operative intervention included existence of technically correctable dissections causing (1) hemodynamically significant occlusions of the main or major segmental renal arteries, (2) documented renovascular hypertension, or (3) significant deterioration of renal function.


A second look at delayed splenic rupture. From 1968 to 1976, 314 patients were treated by splenectomy for blunt splenic injuries. Three hundred four of these were operated on within 24 hours. All had typical splenic lacerations with intraperitoneal bleeding from the time of injury. This was true also of seven of the ten operated on after 24 hours. In only three of this late group was the evidence in favor of possible delayed rupture of a subcapsular hematoma. These data support our conclusion that delayed rupture is an unusual sequel to blunt splenic trauma, and that most patients thought to have delayed rupture of the spleen have, instead, delayed recognition of splenic rupture.


Postoperative treatment of patients after liver resection for trauma: a follow-up study. In the last ten years, 89 hepatic resections were performed for trauma. Thirty-three patients survived and were followed up for one month to seven years: 15 patients had right lobectomy, nine left lobectomy, and nine left lateral segmentectomy. Complications were primarily pulmonary. All patients had transient derangement of liver function tests, but only three patients had liver dysfunction. Long-term follow-up showed no ill effects from the liver resection. Important postoperative treatment includes (1) adequate dependent drainage, (2) maintenance of blood volume, (3) intravenous albumin and glucose, (4) adequate nutritional support, and (5) selective use of intravenous glucagon.


Absence of pancreatic duct dilation in chronic pancreatitis: surgical significance. Of 22 patients treated surgically for intractable pain from chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, eight did not show notable dilation of the main pancreatic duct by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), operative pancreatography, and/or operative and microscopical studies of the pancreas after subtotal pancreatectomy. In all patients, far advanced parenchymal pancreatitis was evident at operation and by microscopical study of the removed portion of the pancreas. These findings indicate that the basic problem in a considerable number of patients with symptomatic alcoholic chronic pancreatitis is not related primarily to obstruction with dilation of the major pancreatic duct, but to intrinsic changes in the parenchymal pancreas. The preoperative use of ERCP and individualization of operative procedures with a preference for subtotal or partial pancreatectomy for symptomatic chronic alcoholic pancreatitis are supported.


Starch peritonitis and its prevention.

Starch peritonitis and its prevention. Commercially available surgical gloves contain a derivative of cornstarch and peritonitis induced by particles of starch shed from gloves can be a serious complication of abdominal surgery. Five documented and two suspected cases of this condition are known to have occurred at this institution during a recent 12-month period, when 4,965 intra-abdominal procedures were performed. Clinical features included fever, migratory abdominal pain, and ileus. Treatment with corticosteroids proved effective. Studies of the effectiveness of operating room precautions used to eliminate starch contamination indicated that these precautions do not eliminate the problem completely. Preliminary experience with the use of sodium bicarbonate as a substitute for cornstarch derivatives to "lubricate" surgical gloves has proved promising in eliminating the hazard of starch peritonitis.


Soft-tissue fluid determination by dichromatic absorptiometry. Dichromatic absorptiometry (DA) in a noninvasive method for individually determining the amount of lipid, bone mineral, and protein and water present in a mixture by differential attenuation of radiation beams emitted from a dual photon source. The physics involved permit these components to be determined extremely accurately and precisely. The present study investigated the ability of DA limb scans to measure changes in total body water produced in dogs and in patients. Dichromatic absorptiometry was determined to be a valid method of measuring changes in total body water content as reflected by limb fluid content changes. Precision was limited by the accuracy in positioning the limb for repeated scanning. Dichromatic absorptiometry has the potential of becoming a clinically useful instrument for measuring fluid content changes in limbs produced either by changes in total body water content or by conditions causing limb edema.


Mechanism of inappropriate polyuria in septic patients. Inappropriate polyuria leading to hypovolemia and hypotension occurs frequently in severely septic patients. It's etiology was studied in three patients with polyuria and systolic hypotension. Glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow were measured by the standard renal clearance techniques. Renal blood flow distribution to the outer cortex, inner cortex-outer medulla, and the inner medulla were measured by radioactive xenon. The glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow, and renal blood flow distribution were normal. Polyuria does not result from a maldistribution of renal blood flow. Antidiuretic hormone did not alter the polyuric syndrome. These data suggest that sepsis produces a blockade at either the distal tubule or the collecting duct, thereby preventing salt and water conservation. This blockade may be due to either a toxin or a toxic metabolic breakdown product of sepsis.


Pulmonary resections in children: problems and precautions. Forty-eight pulmonary resections were performed in 45 children. The principal indications for operation were bronchiectasis, congenital cysts, and lobar emphysema. Nine complications occurred in five children. There were three deaths, a mortality of 6.7%. While resection can be performed safely in most children, a high-risk group is identified as those with severe congenital cardiopulmonary disease complicated by chronic or recurrent infection.


Barrett esophagus.

Barrett esophagus. Barrett esophagus is the term describing the presence of an abnormal columnar epithelium in a portion of the esophagus. We have treated 19 patients within the past three years, representing almost 20% of all our esophageal experience; This one pathologic entity has presented as several different clinical pictures: benign stricture, peptic ulceration of the esophagus, intractable esophagitis, and malignancy. One half the patients were under 50 years old, and most were male. The benign lesions have responded well to surgical therapy. There has been an unusually high incidence of malignancy-26.3%. The reasons for the infrequent diagnosis of Barrett esophagus are confusion with "short esophagus" and failure to biopsy the proper site.


Treatment of corrosive burns of the esophagus. Forty patients with caustic ingestion have been treated between 1955 and 1975. Strong alkali was the corrosive in 95%, and 80% were under 10 years old. Early esophageal stricture developed in 18 patients four weeks after lye ingestion. Among these, esophageal bougienge restored an adequate lumen in two patients with short, soft annular strictures, and right colon interposition was used for esophageal subsitution in ten who had long, dense strictures. We recommend early diagnostic esophagoscopy, to the uppermost level of burn injury only, to determine the presence and severity of the esophageal injury. If esophagoscopy reveals esophageal burn injury, corticosteroid and antibiotic therapy are continued. If no burn injury is visualized, the patient is spared unnecessary treatment. Long, dense strictures unresponsive to bougienage place the patient at risk from instrumental perforation, and these patients should undergo colon interposition through  a substernal extrapleural tunnel.


The ileal stoma and protal hypertension: an uncommon site of variceal bleeding. Patients who have chronic ulcerative colitis coexisting with liver disease and portal hypertension may suffer hemorrhagic parastomal varices after proctocolectomy and ileostomy. Large portal systemic collateral vessels between the superior mesenteric venous tributaries and the abdominal wall can be demonstrated by portal venography. Hemorrhage occurs from the mucocutaneous junction, a vulnerable point in this collateral circuit. Management by major and minor stomal revisions has been unsuccessful. Three patients who have bled from stomal and from esophagogastric varices were treated with portasystemic shunts. None of the three has had recurrent bleeding or postshunt encephalopathy during the 19 to 27 months after these operations.


Bowel obstruction and the long tube stent. Fifty-eight cases of intestinal obstruction requiring operative intervention were reviewed. Enterolysis alone as the treatment for bowel obstruction as a result of adhesions appears to be as good or better than the long tube stent. Patients treated with enterolysis alone had a shorter period of postoperative ileus, a shorter hospital confinement following operation, and fewer recurrent obstructions. These patients also had a longer interval between episodes of reobstruction than did those treated with an intraluminal long tube stent.


Colonoscopic decompression of massive nonobstructive cecal dilation. During the past three years, six patients with massive nonobstructive cecal dilation were treated by the surgical endoscopy service at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Case reports are presented on the five patients for whom decompression of the colon distention using the flexible fiberoptic colonoscope was successful. The sixth patient for whom nonoperative decompression was unsuccessful died following tube cecostomy. Colonoscopy, in our hands, has been a safe and effective method of nonoperatively decompressing the dilated cecum in seriously ill patients with a variety of severe associated conditions.


Total proctocolectomy and ileostomy: procedure of choice for acute toxic megacolon. Of 42 critically ill patients with toxic megacolon, 31 required emergency surgery, and 11 were treated without operation. Of the 11 patients treated by medical measures alone, there  were two deaths (18%): one early, secondary to undiagnosed colonic perforation, and one late death from recurrent ulcerative colitis. Nine of ten survivors (90%) experienced continued morbidity, and five (50%) required subsequent elective surgery. Thirty-one patients required emergency operation for failure of medical treatment (19), colonic perforation (ten), and uncontrolled hemorrhage (two). Early and late morbidity was 74% (two-thirds occurring after subtotal colectomy and ileostomy). Surgical mortality was 19% (8% over the last ten years).


Carcinoma obstructing the left side of the colon. The clinical course, operative treatment, and results of 129 patients with carcinoma obstructing the left side of the colon were reviewed. There were 64 cases of incomplete obstruction, all secondary to primary adenocarcinoma of the colon. Sixty-five patients had complete obstruction; 37 of these had primary adenocarcinoma of the colon, and the rest, cancer from other primary sites, largely the genitourinary tract. The operations involving colostomy only or colostomy as part of a staged resection resulted in high operative mortality and low long-term survival, in addition to a high rate of postoperative sepsis. Results of operations involving primary resection of obstructing tumor were superior in all the above factors studied.


Stromal invasion of cancer in pedunculated adenomatous colorectal polyps: significance for surgical management. Fifty-three patients were treated for pedunculated adenomatous polyps that contained foci of invasive cancer confined to the stroma. This entity is a stage of malignant involvement intermediate between in situ carcinoma and frank infiltrative cancer that invades the muscularis mucosae. Metastases to regional lymphatics were not observed. Local removal of such lesions without regional lymphadenectomy is adequate treatment.


The value of the barium enema in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Contrary to popular belief, the barium enema is a safe diagnostic tool in the management of acute appendicitis. This is a survey of our experience over three years with 489 cases of suspected acute appendicitis. Two hundred eighteen barium enema examinations were done. The barium enema has a high degree of pathological correlation (97.14%). It has reduced negative surgical exploration in women between 11 and 40 years of age. This group traditionally represents the greatest diagnostic challenge in appendicitis. As a result, our  negative  exploration rate has been reduced to a figure below the average for this disease. We recommend its performance in all patients who pose a diagnostic dilemma.


An alternative to hemorrhoidectomy.

An alternative to hemorrhoidectomy. This report presents a retrospective review of 670 patients who underwent 3,208 rubber band ligations for internal hemorrhoids. Complications after banding were limited to pain and bleeding. Mild to moderate discomfort occurred in 32 patients (4.8%), while pain severe enough to limit activity occurred in only four patients (0.6%). Slight bleeding was noted in 19 patients (3%), and was severe in nine (1%). Of the latter, only two required hospitalization and cautery, while the remainder subsided on bedrest at home. Banding is discussed in comparison to sclero-therapy, anal dilation and cryohemorrhoidectomy, as well as operative hemorrhoidectomy, and is found to offer not only safety, but major advantages with regard to comfort, convenience, and cost.


[Protein and amino acid metabolism in laying hens receiving N-15 labeled casein. 6. Patterns of N-15 incorporation into the N fraction and amino acids of the follicles and residual ovaries]. 4 experimental hens were fed labelled casein as sole protein source for a period of 6 days. The dietary nitrogen contained a 15N excess of 0.69 atom%. Hens 1 and 2 were slaughtered 2 days and hens 3 and 4 four days after receiving the last 15N' dose. 10 follicles with diameters more than 6 mm were investigated for their content of N, for the TCE-soluble portion of N (TCE=trichloracetic acid) and for the content of different amino acids in protein. The corresponding 15N' data were established and the same analyses were carried out with the residual ovaries. The mean proportion of the TCE soluble N fraction in the total amount of N was 90% in the follicles and 88% in the residual ovaries. The content of certain kinds of amino acids in follicular protein depends on the degree of maturity of the follicles. There were differences in the percentage composition of amino acids between the follicles and residual ovaries. The mean percentage of lysine contained in follicular protein was 7,2%, that in the residual ovaries 7,9%. Corresponding data for arginine were 6,9% and 7,9%, those for glutamic acid 11,5% and 13,8%, for glycine 3,1% and 5,7%, for alanine 5,0% and 6,1%, for methionine 2,8% and 1,7% and for cystine 3,7% and 2,4%. Less than half of the 15N' atom % and less than half of the percentage of 15N' in the total amount of N and of the amount of amino acids in both the follicles and the residual ovaries were found in the hens killed 144 hrs after the last 15N dose than in the hens slaughtered 48 hrs after the last 15N intake. The atom % of 15N' in the N contained in the amino acids serine, threonine, glutamic acid, proline and leucine decreased with the process of ageing of the follicles. On an average, 88% of the total quantity of 15N' contained in the follicle samples were found as amino acid N, while in the residual ovaries 90% were found.


[Protein and amino acid metabolism in laying hens receiving N-15 labeled casein. 7. Incorporation and distribution of labeled nitrogen into egg fractions]. Four colostomated hybrid laying hens were fed, for 6 days, a semisynthetic ration containing 15N labelled casein as sole protein source. Within this period, the hens laid 13 eggs which were fractionated into egg yolk, egg white and egg shell. The N content of these egg fractions was established. A TCE soluble and TCE precipitable fraction (TCE=trichloroacetic acid) were obtained from the fractions of egg yolk and egg white. Additionally, an analysis was made of the set of amino acids contained in the crude protein of the egg yolk, egg white and egg membrane (lysine, histidine and arginine only). The excess 15N atom% (15N') was established in the crude protein, in the nitrogen from the TCE soluble and TCE precipitable fractions and in the N from 17 amino acids of the egg yold and egg white. In the egg membrane fraction the 15N' atom% was determined as percentage of the total amount of N and of the amount of N contained in the basic amino acids. Essential differences between the 3 egg fractions were noticed with regard to the process of initial incorporation of labelled N and the intensity of this process after the onset of 15N application. 15N' was detected in the egg shell as early as 4 hrs after administration of the 15N' dose. Heavy nitrogen was found to be contained in the egg white of eggs that were laid on the 2nd day of experiment. The level of 15N' atom% in the egg white increased essentially during the following days of experiment; the 15N'quantities in the egg white were considerably higher than those in the egg yolk. Similar results were obtained for the process of 15N incorporation into the 17 amino acids. It is assumed that differences between the 3 fractions as observed in the level of labelling and in the pattern of 15N' incorporation are accounted for by the different sites and different times of protein synthesis for the different egg proteins.


Standardized a-scan echographic diagnosis of choroidal malignant melanomas. Standardized A-scan echography (ultrasonography) is rapidly assuming its appropriate role as a primary diagnostic tool in ophthalmology. Its ability to display "tissue texture" can be used by the experienced examiner to establish a reliable tissue diagnosis in a high percentage of lesions. The most important intraocular neoplasm is the choroidal malignant melanoma, and a diagnostic accuracy in excess of 95% has been reported by Ossoinig et al. This smaller series of proven choroidal malignant melanomas diagnosed preoperatively by standardized A-scan confirms the reliability of this noninvasive technique.


Family history in primary open-angle glaucoma. A family history of glaucoma was found in 50% of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and 43% of patients with ocular hypertension (OH). Positive family history was twice as prevalent in those with OH and either HLA-B7 or B12 antigens than in OH with neither antigen (P less than .01). Although POAG occurred equally in men and women, the prevalence of a positive family history of glaucoma on the maternal side of the family in POAG patients was six to seven times greater than on the paternal side (P less than .0005). However, in patients with OH, but no glaucomatous field loss, there was no difference in prevalence of maternal and paternal family history. Even in OH with HLA-B7 or B12 antigens, there was no predominance of maternal family history. The implication that offspring were more likely to develop POAG when their mother's side of the family rather than their father's side had the disease has provided an additional potentially useful risk factor in patients with OH. In addition, it has raised interesting questions as to possible maternal cytoplasmic factors in the transmission and pathogenesis of POAG.


Bilateral choroidal melanomas. Case report and incidence. A 55-year-old woman had bilateral choroidal melanoma. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case in the United States. To calculate the incidence of bilateral cases, we determined the incidence of unilateral choroidal and ciliary body melanomas among the white population in Iowa. We also studied the incidence of these melanomas by different age and sex groups. One of 2,500 whites will develop a choroidal melanoma during his or her lifetime. Based on these values and those of life expectancy in patients harboring a choroidal melanoma, we calculated the risks of developing a second primary melanoma in the other eye. In a population of 50 million whites, 1 person will develop a bilateral choroidal melanoma during his or her lifetime. In other words, a bilateral case is expected to occur once every 18 years in the United States.


Squamous cell carcinoma developing in an orbital cyst. A squamous cell carcinoma developed in the wall of an orbital cyst in a 53-year-old man. There was a vague history of previous injury, which was probably of no significance, and there was no evidence of any dermal elements in the cyst wall. The case appears to be unique because it most probably had its origin in a congenital epidermoid cyst.


Sympathetic uveitis following glaucoma surgery. We had two cases of sympathetic uveitis after filtering procedures were performed on blind, painful eyes. A review of the literature shows that it is not the type of antiglaucoma operation that has to be incriminated in precipitating sympathetic uveitis, but the condition of the eye undergoing a filtering procedure. The risk is much higher when the glaucoma is absolute. There is much danger in operating on blind, painful eyes.


Multiple myeloma. Orbital involvement in a youth. Orbital involvement by multiple myeloma is rare and affects older individuals usually. The youngest reported patient in a recent series that cites a median age of 56 years is 30 years of age. The present case involves a 19-year-old pregnant black female subject who complained initially of diplopia and whose presenting sign was proptosis. An extensive medical work-up and electron microscopic study were necessary to establish the diagnosis.


Mycosis fungoides. Intraocular and central nervous system involvement. A 58-year-old man with mycosis fungoides was treated with chemotherapeutic agents and radiation for the recurrent cutaneous form of this disease. Five years after the onset, he developed blurring of vision, neurologic signs, and then lapsed into coma. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment resulted in improvement of the ocular and systemic picture. Within three months, however, the patient's vision deteriorated and swelling of both optic discs, along with retinal and vitreous infiltrates, was noted. Local radiation of the eyes was followed by improvement of the ocular changes. Five months later the patient died. Results of a histologic examination of the eyes showed extensive involvement of the retina and vitreous by tumor cells. The CNS was remarkably free of tumor cells and it was assumed that the radiation and chemotherapy were responsible for this.


Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. A cause of visual loss. A patient had been treated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia for five years before developing visual blurring as the manifestation of occipital lobe lesions of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The disease is caused by an infection of the CNS oligodendrocytes by a papovavirus, whose replication is facilitated by an impairment of the host's cell-mediated immunologic system. The multiplying virus destroys the oligodendrocytes and causes extensive demyelination of the white matter of the brain. Antiviral agents, such as cytarabine, may be beneficial in treating patients with PML.


The moving fluid field in ophthalmic surgery. A microscope mounted dripper and a cottonold wick for removal of excess fluid provide a moving fluid field for anterior segment microsurgery. The advantages of the moving fluid field include protection of the corneal epithelium, a field cleaned of debris and blood, and optimum visualization of the anterior segment.


Quantitative analysis of the Callender classification of uveal melanoma cells. Six experienced ophthalmic pathologists independently classified 90 uveal melanoma cells according to the Callender classification. They frequently disagreed among themselves, but at least four of the six agreed on the classification of 77 cells. In an effort to delineate those cytologic features that are most useful in the application of Callender classification, 12 factors were evaluated for each of these cells. Multivariate analysis (MVA) proved that six factors (chromatin clumping, minimum nuclear diameter, nucleolar diameter, chromatin margination, maximum nuclear diameter, and abundant cytoplasm) were useful for determining the cell type selected by the majority of pathologists, although some cells could not be sharply classified. It was concluded that uveal melanoma cells occupy a continuous cytologic spectrum, from benign-appearing spindle A cells to very malignant-appearing epithelioid cells.


Evaluation of metastatic cancer to the eye. Carcinoembryonic antigen and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. Plasma carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GTP) were studied in 24 patients with cancer metastatic to the uveal tract. Eighty-three percent demonstrated elevated CEA levels, while only 36% (49 of 135 patients) with primary uveal melanoma showed elevated levels. While none of the uveal melanoma patients had a CEA value greater than 10 ng/ml, 58% (14) of the patients with metastatic tumors to the uvea had values greater than 10 ng/ml. Forty-six percent (11) of patients with metastatic tumors to the uvea demonstrated elevated GTP levels that correlated with documentation of liver metastases. Ninety-two percent of the patients with metastatic cancer to the uvea had either an elevated CEA or GTP level. When used together, plasma CEA and GTP levels appear to be helpful in differentiating metastatic tumors to the uvea from primary uveal melanomas. These assays also appear to be useful in determining tumor burden and concurrent hepatic involvement in patients with metastatic tumors to the uvea.


An arteriotonograph. A new instrument for measuring the pressure in the ophthalmic artery. A new piece of equipment was developed that records the intraocular pressure at the time of biomicroscopically observed collapse of the central retinal artery on the optic disc. A special contact lens with a properly adjusted pressure-sensitive probe allows exact observation of the optic disc and manual compression of the eye, whereas the foot-plate of the probe perceives the intraocular pressure through the applanated peripheral cornea.


Acoustic tumor detection with brain stem electric response audiometry. Tumors that press on the audiotry nerve can cause a latency increase that is detectable from the scalp by electric response audiometry (BERA). The response delay is best seen by comparing the Jewett wave V, or P5, latencies for the two ears. This interaural latency difference is normally less than 0.2 msec, but was 0.4 msec or greater for 35 acoustic tumor cases and for seven of ten other temporal bone tumors. Acoustic tumor size can be estimated from the amount of latency delay.


Application of binaural beat phenomenon with aphasic patients. We investigated whether six aphasics and six normal subjects could binaurally fuse two slightly differing frequencies of constant amplitude. The aphasics were subdivided into two groups: (1) two men who had had mild cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) during the past 15 months; (2) four men who had had severe CVAs during the last 15 months. Two tones of different frequency levels but equal in intensity were presented dichotically to the subjects at 40 dB sensation level. All subjects had normal hearing at 500 Hz (0 to 25 dB). All six normal subjects and the two aphasics who had had mild CVAs could hear the binaural beats. The four aphasics who had had severe CVAs could not hear them. A 2 X 2 design resulting from this study was compared using chi2 test with Yates correction and was found to be significantly different (P less than .05). Two theories are presented to explain these findings: the "depression theory" and the "temporal time-sequencing theory." Therapeutic implications are also discussed relative to cerebral and/or brain stem involvement in the fusion of binaural stimuli.


En bloc ethmoidectomy and medial maxillectomy. A method is described which enables the surgeon to gain necessary visual access for en bloc removal of certain tumors of the nasoethmoid area. A "medial maxillectomy" has been performed on ten patients, three of whom underwent combined craniofacial surgery for extensive neoplasms. The procedure is especially suitable for those tumors in which piecemeal or "shelling out" techniques are not desirable, and in which one desires to preserve the eye, palate, and facial appearance.


Hearing aid gain-setting performance of experienced users. This study explores the ability of 30 experienced hearing aid users to reliably reset the gain of their hearing aids in a clinical sound field. The level of the sound-field stimulus was derived from an aided most comfortable level (MCL), which reflected a "real-life" aided gain setting. The results indicated that these subjects were able to perform all tasks with a high degree of reliability, as measured by sound field speech reception thresholds (SRT'S) AND Brüel and Kjaer acoustic analysis. Average aided operational levels for SRT and MCL were also obtained for this group.


Surgical treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue: factors influencing survival. One hundred fifty patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (anterior two thirds) treated initially by surgery alone were analyzed and factors influencing survival were evaluated. Thirteen patients who died without evidence of disease in less than five years were excluded, leaving 137 determinate cases for review. The overall survival was 67.9%. The presence or absence of cervical node metastases appeared to be the most important determining factor in this series. The size of the primary lesion in itself did not play a substantial role in local control. However, overall survival was affected because the larger the primary lesion the higher the incidence of cervical metastases, and therefore, the lower the survival. It is concluded that partial glossectomy is effective treatment for control of localized disease (92.7%). Since cervical node metastases lowered the survival figures to 31%, it appears that more aggressive prophylactic treatment in the form of neck dissection or radiotherapy is indicated for lesions larger than 2 cm.


Diagnostic speech audiometry.

Diagnostic speech audiometry. The scope of speech audiometry can be expanded to provide useful diagnostic information. Comparison of performance vs intensity (Pl) functions for both phonemically balanced (PB) words and synthetic sentence identification (SSl) yields pattersn useful in differentiating among peripheral and central sites of auditory disorder.


Ventilation in secretory otitis media: effects on middle ear volume and eustachian tube function. Conductive hearing loss due to secretory otitis media is the commonest form of hearing loss in children. Eustachian tube dysfunction is often implicated as the most important factor in the origin and course of the disease. It is well known that myringotomy, aspiration of fluid from within the middle ear, and ventilation with any one of several types of tubes will restore hearing and mobility of the tympanic membrane in the vast majority of patients. The effects of these procedures on Eustacian tube function and on middle ear and mastoid volumes, particularly on a long-term basis, have not been clearly delineated. Thirty-six children (72 ears) with secretory otitis media were studied. During the course of the disease, fluid was aspirated from the middle ear and Silastic ventilation tubes were inserted. Hearing levels, tympanogram type, middle ear volume, and Eustachian tube function were determined before and after operation. After myringotomy, aspiration of fluid, and ventilation, we found that (1) middle ear volume progressively increased during a period of three to eight months after operation; (2) Eustachian tube function remained abnormal while ventilation tubes were in place, and (3) hearing was restored to normal levels.


Saccular mucocele and laryngeal cancer.

Saccular mucocele and laryngeal cancer. Saccular mucoceles are a definite entity and probably occur more frequently than is supposed. Confusion with internal laryngoceles is possibly due to lack of understanding of basic anatomy and physiology. A 49-year-old man had a saccular mucocele that was possibly associated with laryngeal cancer, although a definitive diagnosis was only made two years later. The laryngectomy specimen was serially sectioned and showed an internal laryngocele on the side that was not operated one. This patient remains alive and well four years after excision of a T4 carcinoma, although a unilateral radical neck dissection was performed two years ago.


The effects of sedation on the impedance test battery. Fifteen adults, hospitalized for fiberoptic endoscopy studies, were tested under two conditions using impedance audiometry. The first series of tests was conducted prior to the fiberoptic studies and sedation; the second immediately following examination, approximately 20 minutes after sedation with diazepam (Valium) and meperidine (Demerol) hydrochloride. Sedation with diazepam and meperidine failed to have a significant effect on tympanometry, static compliance, or differential loudness. These drugs were therefore considered effective sedatives for conducting impedance studies on difficult-to-test patients. This procedure is not recommended as a routine procedure and should be done only as a last resort.


Bone conduction speech discrimination: an indication of cochlear function in the immediate postoperative period. We illustrate that the apparent sensorineural audiometric changes immediately following stapedectomy are not indicative of a true sensorineural type hearing loss. The cochlear changes evident by postoperative pure-tone and air conduction speech discrimination audiometric tests are not reflective of the true cochlear reserve when the procedure of bone conduction speech discrimination is used. We report 25 consecutive stapedectomy cases in which most of the one-week postoperative audiograms of stapedectomized ears revealed a mid- and high-frequency sensorineural pure-tone loss and a drop in the standard speech discrimination scores. The decrease in speech discrimination, however, was not verified when using the bone-speech discrimination test, using maximum masking in the opposite ear.


Fracture of the frontal sinus in children. Two juvenile patients, ages 5 and 8, had traumatic fractures of the frontal sinus that included involvement of the nasal-frontal ducts and posterior tables. Principles of management are discussed and the techniques for the operative procedures described. While rare in occurrence in children, it is felt that traumatic involvement of the nasal-frontal ducts or posterior tables of the frontal sinus requires an osteoplastic flap--fat obliteration of the frontal sinus cavity in order to preclude subsequent mucocele development or mucosal ingrowth into the anterior fossa.


Pleomorphic adenoma of the epiglottis: report of a case. We describe the clinical and pathologic aspects of an unusual case of pleomorphic adenoma of the epiglottis. A 69-year-old man had impaired speech and a "lumpy sensation" in the throat. Following clinical evaluation and a diagnostic biopsy, the tumor was totally excised with excellent results. Pleomorphic adenoma of the larynx is most uncommon. To our knowledge, no report describing the clinical and pathologic features of this entity in the epiglottis or larynx has been previously reported. This is the only example of an epiglottic pleomorphic adenoma among 391 cases seen at Presbyterian-University Hospital and the Eye and Ear Hospital of Pittsburgh during a 21-year period.


Simulation of a hearing loss at long versus short test tones. At long test tones, a hearing loss (abrupt drop at 3 kHz) is simulated in good approximation by presenting a continuous masking noise of appropriate spectral distribution to a normal ear. When shortening the test tones, the increase in threshold is systematically smaller for the impaired ear than for the ear with simulated hearing loss, showing normal temporal integration. Comparing threshold curves at long versus short test tones, for the hearing loss simulation only an upward shift is found. For the impaired ear, however, the magnitude of the hearing loss apparently increases with increasing test tone duration; moreover, the spectral characteristic of the hearing loss is quite different at long versus short test tones.


The epizootiology of bovine ephemeral fever in Australia and Papua-New Guinea. The epizootiology of ephemeral fever in Australia from its first recognition until 1968 was reviewed. Since 1968, ephemeral fever often in a silent form has been shown to be enzootic in northern Australia, by the use of sentinel cattle. The major epizootics which occured in 1970-1971, 1972-1974 and 1974-1975 are described. These epizootics were characterised by an apparently rapid movement of disease in a general north-south direction in summer months. Ephemeral fever antibody was detected in 11% of 1009 domesticated and feral water buffaloes.


Adaptive speech audiometry and speech discrimination space in hearing-impaired subjects. Phonemic discrimination difficulties in a small group of patients with sensorineural hearing loss have been mapped using a new form of speech audiometry which is au automated, adaptive, audio-visual system, using a binary forced-choice response mode. Phonemic confusion patterns have been displayed in directed graph form and the cases presented here have been chosen to illustrate the potentialities of the test method for obtaining detailed information on the fine structure of speech reception in these patients.


Longitudinal Study of hearing loss in childhood. Relationship between hearing impairment, poor learning and family background. Of the Dutch school population 0.1% suffer from a hearing loss which makes it necessary for them to attend a special school. This permanent, binaural hearing impairment is of a moderate to severe degree (degrees II and III) and adversely affects the child's linguistic skills and school performance. Of the pupils attending ordinary schools 4-5% suffer from a hearing loss which, according to the Dutch audiologist Huizing, lies on the borderline of a slight to moderate hearing impairment (degrees I and II). This loss is characterised by its temporary nature, the fact that it is monaural in 71% of the cases and that there is no evidence for its clearly affecting the learning process. The risk of hearing impairment is predominantly determined by the child's family background.


The occurrence of the intestinal fluke Sphaeridiotrema globulus in domestic ducks in New South Wales. A mortality in muscovy ducklings caused by infection with the intestinal fluke, S. globulus, is described. The disease was characterised by depression, anorexia, wasting, diarrhoea and high mortality. The major pathological lesions were associated with the attachment sites of the flukes and consisted of severe enteritis with ulceration, principally affecting the jejunum, but also involving the duodenum and ileum. Experimental infections were produced in ducklings by oral administration of either G. austrialis infected with S. globulus metacercariae or S. globulus metacercariae or S. globulus metacercariae. The small, dextral, operculate snail G. australis was identified as the intermediate host and G. australis and an unidentified planorbid as transport hosts. L. tomentosa was also able to be a transport host. The epidemiology of the outbreak and aspects of acquired resistance are presented.


Presbyacusis, hearing aids and aging.

Presbyacusis, hearing aids and aging. This paper considers the factors of presbyacusis and age-related psychological changes in older adults in terms of their effects on the use or potential use of hearing aids as a means of improving aural communication. Data are presented on the prevalence of hearing impairment and the extent of hearing aid use in aging listeners. Four major classes of presbyacusis are described (sensory, neural, metabolic, and cochlear conduvtive) and a hearing aid prognosis is made for each type of disorder. It is shown that aging produces deficits in pure-tone thresholds, the speech reception threshold, and speech discrimination, but not all losses can be 'corrected' with a hearing aid. Binaural (stereophonic) devices are psychoacoustically superior to monaural devices; however, behavioral and personality changes in older patients often create problems of adaptation to the binaural aid. These changes may also affect the fitting of an aid and the patient's ability to learn to use it. Some practical suggestions are offered on the evaluation of hearing aids and it is emphasized that adequate orientation and counseling are typically required if hearing aid treatment is to be successful in presbyacusis.


Immunogenicity of Australian lentogenic strains of Newcastle disease virus. Seven-week-old chickens vaccinated oronasally with V4 and CT strains of Australian lentogenic strains of NDV were immune to intramuscular challenge with Herts 33 and Texas GB strains of virulent NDV. Vaccination of 1- and 3-week-old chickens with V4 strain by oronasal, conjunctival and drinking water routes using various doses of virus demonstrated that chickens were immune to oronasal challenge with Fontana 1083 strain of virulent NDV except where low doses of vaccine virus were administered. One 6- and 36-week-old chickens vaccinated oronasally with CT strain of virus remained immune to oronasal challenge with Fontana 1083 strain for 9 weeks after vaccination. Immunity was waning at 16 weeks after a single vaccination with CT strain.


Polioencephalomalacia of sheep and cattle. Polioencephalomalacia was confirmed histologically in Western Australia in sheep from 100 farms and cattle from 14 farms during the period 1965 to 1974. The condition affected sheep and cattle in good physical condition of all ages, throughout the year. Mortality rates in sheep flocks ranged from less than 1% to in excess of 10% and occurred under a number of management systems.


Paralysis of calves by the tick, Ixodes Holocyclus. Adult female Ixodes holocyclus were collected from the field at Fig Tree Pocket, a Brisbane suburb, at Tamborine Mountain, Queensland and at Lismore, New South Wales, in November 1974. Females were also reared from engorged nymphs collected off bandicoots from Tamborine Mountain July 1974 and 1975. In November 1974 unexposed 2-3 week old British breed calves, weighing between 26 and 46 kg were infested with 2,4,8 or 10 ticks. Neither 2 nor 4 females per calf caused paralysis. A challenge of 8 to 10 females induced paralysis 6 to 9 days after infestation by which time most ticks had engorged. There was little difference between ticks from different geographic localities. The site of attachment had no influence on tick toxicity. In September 1975, 2-3 week old British breed and Sahiwal x Jersey calves were infested with female ticks which had moulted 2-4 weeks prior to infestation. All but one calf with 10 ticks and all calves with 4 ticks became paralysed 8 to 13 days after infestation. At the time of paralysis only 1 of the 86 ticks had engorged and the remainder were small (30 to 50 mg). The greater toxicity of the latter ticks may have been due to the different treatment of ticks prior to infestation or to variations in the production of toxin associated with slow feeding. Four of 7 paralysed calves were saved using canine antitick serum.


Threshold and suprathreshold temporal integration function in normal and cochlear-impaired subjects. Auditory and acoustic reflex threshold temporal integration slopes were obtained for 20 normally hearing and 20 cochlear-impaired subjects. For both groups, the results at auditory threshold are similar to findings reported by other investigators. For the normally hearing subjects, suprathreshold slopes approximated those obtained at auditory threshold. The sensorineural group, however, demonstrated steeper slopes at suprathreshold levels than at auditory threshold. Therefore, at suprathreshold levels there were no significant differences between the slopes of the two groups. The implications of these findings are discussed.


Chromosomal location of soluble glutamic-pyruvic transaminase-1 (Gpt-1) in the mouse. Three alleles at the Gpt-1 (glutamic-pyruvic transaminase-1) locus in the mouse, as identified by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate, and their distribution among inbred mouse strains and wild stocks are described. The Gpt-1 locus was shown to control the soluble form of the enzyme. Three-point linkage analysis established th location of Gpt-1 on chromosome 15 between uw and bt. In addition, a new staining procedure is described that allows the visualization of GPT activity on gels by the deposition of formazan. This is an improvement over previous methods that produced bands of nonfluorescence against a fluorescent background.


Experiments with beta-chain variants of the hemoglobin of Mus musculus. Starch gel electrophoretic and ultracentrifuge methods failed to demonstrate any differences between the hemoglobins of mice of the Shanghai and HBBP/Cag strains and crosses among these strains. The apparent identity of these hemoglobins is thought to stem from the contribution of Asian mice to the British mouse fancy from which the laboratory strains have Hbb-p in part descend. Maleate buffer of pH 7 or above can be used to prevent the formation of disulfide-bridged dimers of mouse hemoblobins. However, the minor electrophoretic bands of Hbb-p and Hbb-d react with approximately twice as much maleate as the major bands of each of these hemoglobins, although the minor bands like the major contain only one free cysteine group per beta chain. This can be explained by the alkylation of the epsilon-amino of lysine residue beta76, but some evidence for the alkylation of histidine in the minor band of Hbb-p is also presented.


Inheritance in mice of the membrane anchor protein egasyn: the Eg locus determines egasyn levels. Previous studies have suggested that the binding of mouse flucuronidase to endoplasmic reticulum membrane is stabilized by the membrane protein egasyn. Using a radioimmunoassay for egasyn, we have now examined the inheritance of egasyn levels in mice. Mice of the inbred strain C57BL/6J, which have normal levels of microsomal glucuronidase, contained 56 +/- 10 mug egasyn per gram of liver. Mice of the inbred strain YBR, which carry the Eg0 mutation resulting in the absence of microsomal glucuronidase, did not contain detectable levels of egasyn. The F1 progeny of these two strains contained intermediate levels of egasyn, 25 +/- 4 mug egasyn per gram of liver. Progeny from the backcross of these F1 animals to YBR were distributed equally into two discrete phenotypic classes. One class lacked both egasyn and microsomal glucuronidase, while the other class contained 25 +/- 3 mug egasyn per gram of liver and contained normal levels of microsomal glucuronidase. Thus egasyn levels are determined by the Eg locus and show additive inheritance. These results suggest that the Eg gene codes for egasyn and that it is the inability to produce egasyn that results in a deficiency of microsomal glucuronidase in the Eg0 mutant.


Relationship between enzyme heterozygosity and quaternary structure. The need for proteins to maintain particular quarternary structures constrains variability in amino acid sequence. Monomeric enzymes are then expected to be more variable than dimeric forms, which in turn are expected to be more variable than tetrameric forms. These predictions are confirmed by analysis of available data on enzyme variation. Theories relating enzyme heterozygosity to metabolic function are discussed in the light of these findings.


Allelic expression in intergeneric fox hybrids (Alopex lagopus x Vulpes vulpes). II. Erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in Artic and silver foxes: purification and properties. The functional properties of purified glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) from the erythrocytes of Artic foxes (Alopex lagopus) and silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were investigated. It was found that pH optima for G6P D range from 8.15 to 8.25 in Arctic foxes and from 10.2 to 10.4 in silver foxes. For G6P, the estimated Km values were 74 X 10(-6) M (at pH 8.2) and 166 X 10(-6) M (at pH 10.2) in Artic foxes and 58 X 10(-6) M (at pH 10.2) and 40 X 10(-6) M (at pH 8.2) in silver foxes. The Km values for NADP were estimated as 62 X 10(-6) M (at pH 8.2) and 86 X 10(-6) M (at pH 10.2) in the Artic foxes and 15 X 10(-6) M (at pH 10.2) and 12 X 10(-6) M (at pH 8.2) in the silver foxes. It was found that Mg2+ ions exert a significant activating effect on G6P D in the Arctic fox and do not affect appreciably its activity in the silver fox. The experimental data indicate that slight differences in the electrophoretic mobility of G6P D are associated with considerable functional differences in this enzyme between the two fox species.


Gene-dependent flavonoid glucosyltransferase in maize. A direct relationship between a specific gene and a specific enzyme involved in flavonoid biosynthesis is reported for the gene Bz and uridine diphosphoglucose: quercetin glucosyltransferase in maize pollin, seedlings, and seeds. Ratios are presented for specific activities of the glucosyltransferase from pollen, seed, and seedling tissues homozygous and heterozygous for Bz and homozygous for bz.


Biochemical genetics of Chinese hamster cell mutants with deviant purine metabolism. VI. Enzymatic studies of two mutants unable to convert inosinic acid to adenylic acid. Ade-H and ade-I are two auxotrophic mutants of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells which specifically require adenine as the purine source to grow. The enzymatic defects of these mutants were examined in cell-free extracts. It was found that ade-H did not have any detectable adenylosuccinate synthetase activity and ade-I was defective in the adenylosuccinate lyase enzyme. The relevance of adenine-requiring mutants to the study of the regulation of purine metabolism in mammalian cells is discussed.


A gene apparently determining the extent of sialylation of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase in mouse liver. Organ-specific electrophoretic heterogeneity of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase has been observed within individual strains of inbred mice. Polymorphism between C57BL/6J and CBA/J for liver lysosomal alpha-mannosidase is determined by a single genetic locus on chromosome 5 and appears to be the result of differences in sialylation of the lysosomal enzyme. Two different patterns of expression of development of the liver electrophoretic forms have been observed.


Location of chromosomal control of GA-induced enzyme release by distal half-grains of wheat. The three enzymes, alpha-amylase, peroxidase, and acid phosphatase, are among those released by the aleurone of bread wheat, Triticum aestivum, as a direct response to gibberellins (GA) from the embryo during germination. Aneuploid genotypes are used to investigate the chromosomal location, nature, and extent of genetic control of the release of these enzymes in endosperms after induction by exogenous GA. Ditelosomics demonstrate the effect of removal of known chromosome arms, and tetrasomics show the effect of duplication of chromosome pairs. Quantitative analysis demonstrates complex control systems over and above those previously found using zymogram techniques. For alpha-amylase, chromosome arms with net promoter effects and chromosomes with net inhibitor effects were found. These effects were not chromosome-dosage responsive, unlike the promoter-inhibitor system found for acid phosphatase control. Peroxidase levels in the endosperms were generally high in both types of aneuploids. With one exception, all chromosomes showing involvement as ditelosomics showed a similar effect as tetrasomics, indicating that in the euploid a balanced state restricting, rather than promoting, peroxidase levels existed.


Inheritance of amylases in blood serum of cattle. Serum amylase variants are demonstrated by means of starch gel and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Phenotypes, allele frequencies, and segregation data for Am1 and Am2 in the cattle breed Deutsche Schwarzbunte are given. Demonstration of Am2 amylases was better in polyacrylamide gels and more isoenzymes were identified than in starch gels. The variants of Am1 amylases found in STAGE could not be reproduced in PAGE by means of the described methods. Both enzyme systems seem to be profoundly different in their molecular constitution and action. For the animals, these differences could be of advantage in the adaption to external influences.


Effect of a coat color locus on kidney lysosomal glycosidases in the house mouse. Activities of three lysosomal glycosidases, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase, and N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase, have been shown to differ in bf/bf and bf/+ mice. Thus bf/bf mice usually have much higher activities of these enzymes in their kidney cells than bf/+ animals. There seem, however, to be some exceptions to this general pattern, especially for galactosidase of females from the C57BL/6J strain. A likely interpretation of the difference is that the bf locus has pleiotropic effects. An alternative explanation, less likely, is that a gene closely linked to bf is involved. There is also a differential response to dihydrotestosterone in different groups of mice reflected in activity changes of the three enzymes.


Electrophoresis of human l-glutamate dehydrogenase: tissue distribution and preliminary population survey. A method for the starch gel electrophoresis of human L-glutamate dehydrogenase (GLUD) is described, as is the tissue distribution of GLUD detected by this method. Extracts of livers from 200 Whites were analyzed without demonstration of an electrophoretic variant. The molecular size was estimated to be 330,000 and the isoelectric point pH 4.83.