Negative expectancy as a mediating variable in marihuana intoxication. Sixty experienced marihuana smokers participated in a study designed to assess the effect of a negative expectancy on marihuana intoxication. Two different environments, threat of shock and no-threat, were used under the drug conditions of marihuana and placebo. Ss came into the laboratory and adjusted a level of shock received at their fingertips, to a point of mild discomfort. Only those Ss in the threat groups were given the expectation that they would receive the shock at random times during the sessions. Results show that Ss in the marihuana threat group got subjectively less intoxicated, found the environment less pleasant, and yet had higher pulse rates than did Ss in the marihuana  no-threat group. The results are discussed in terms of a cognitive component, and specifically that of labelling, in the determination of level of intoxication.


Voluntary heart rate changes and the marihuana "high". Investigated the interaction of psychological and physiological measures of the marihuana intoxicated state. The subjective measure of intoxication was the "How High" Scale, a rating of percentage of the S's usual "high." The objective measure was pulse rate, which has been found to be the most consistent physiological indicator of marihuana intoxication. By means of biofeedback techniques, Ss in the experimental group were taught to increase voluntarily pulse rate when intoxicated. A control group attended to feedback, but did not manipulate pulse rate. Group comparisons of the dependent measures demonstrated that while both groups experienced a similar subjective "high", the experimental group demonstrated a significantly higher pulse rate. This discrepancy between objective and subjective measures demonstrates the complexity of the intoxicated state.


The use of the Goldberg Indices with alcoholics: a cautionary note. Applied Goldberg's (1972) regression equation for the classification of MMPI profiles to the MMPI profiles of 173 alcoholic male veterans. All Ss also completed a detailed alcoholic life history questionnaire. It was hypothesized that there would be differences between the life history responses of those Ss classified as sociopathic and those classified as normal neurotic, or psychotic. However, analysis revealed no significant differences between the groups. This finding is discussed in terms of the relationship of life events to diagnosis and the validity of the use of Goldberg Indices with alcoholic patients.


Modification of smoking behaviors in a correctional institution. Effected two studies in a prison setting to determine the effectiveness of self-control procedures with institutionalized cigarette smokers. In Study I, 14 male inmates were given instruction in self-control techniques. The 6 inmates who completed treatment manifested significant reductions in their cigarette smoking. Intercorrelations between goal setting and smoking rates suggested the efficacy of a changing criterion schedule. A second study replicated Study I and suggested an appreciable (p less than .06) locus of control X type of goal setting (therapist vs. client) interaction. Study II also showed: (1) some components of treatment were perceived as significantly more helpful than others; (2) self-control treatment seemed effective with a pipe smoker; and (3) in comparison to Study I a relatively low drop-out rate occurred in this study, which used a contracting procedure to discourage drop-outs. Results are discussed in terms of treatment implications for inmate smokers, and suggestions for further research were provided.


Sensitivity of urine-grown cells of Providencia stuartii to antiseptics. Urine-grown cultures of 23 clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria having a range of minimum inhibitory concentration values for chorhexidine were challenged with various concentrations of this antiseptic. The results suggest that cells of Providencia stuartii, in particular, exhibit a considerable degree of resistance to chlorhexidine under these conditions, concentrations of up to 10 000--20 000 microgram/ml of urine being necessary to produce complete loss of viability of such cultures. Of the other two antiseptics tested, phenoxyethanol proved to be the more effective, the recommended use concentration of 2% v/v producing reductions in viable counts of greater than six logarithms in all the strains examined. It is suggested that phenoxyethanol may be a suitable alternative to the cationic agents for use in antiseptic policies for bladder management of urinary tract infections with Providencia stuartii.


Further studies on the umbilical cord and its water content. The results show that the varied appearance of the umbilical cord at birth can be related to its water content and that there are associated changes to be seen histologically in all layers of the cord, but especially in Wharton's jelly. Quantimet analysis confirms these findings and highlights a small group where dual pathology may exist. The relationship between oedematous cords, large drip volume, and respiratory distress in the newborn is considered, and a possible explanation for reduced placental transfusion and low red cell mass in these babies is proffered.


Catecholamines and free fatty acids in plasma of patients undergoing cardiac operations with hypothermia and bypass. Plasma concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and free fatty acids were measured at different stages of cardiac operations in which hypothermia and bypass were used. The rise of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and free fatty acid concentrations in plasma is consistent with the concept that these are important compounds in stress situations such as hypothermia and surgical operations. There is a more marked release of adrenaline and it may be a more specific hormone in response to hypothermia and bypass than is noradrenaline in man.


An improved method for the diagnosis of polycythaemia. The red cell mass was measured in 44 normal subjects and showed a closer correlation with total body water or surface area than with body weight. The results obtained in a group of patients with polycythaemia, however, still overlap with the normal range. When the total number of circulating red cells is measured these patients form a group quite separate from the normals. The diagnostic value of this measurement is therefore considerably greater than results obtained with the red cell mass.


Haemoglobin A2 levels in vitamin B12 and folate deficiency. Haemoglobin A2 levels were measured in 50 patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, 50 patients with folate deficiency, and six patients with combined deficiencies of these vitamins. All were normal except for three patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, who had a slightly elevated Hb A2 level; this fell to normal after vitamin B12 therapy. It is concluded that haemoglobin A2 levels are usually normal in vitamin B12 or folate deficiency. However, raised levels of haemoglobin A2 may be found, but these are not as high as is found in beta thalassaemia trait and should not cause difficutly in diagnosis.


Atheroembolism.

Atheroembolism. A review of the literature has shown that atheroembolism as a cause of clinically evident disease is an entity that is little documented. Sections of tissues from necropsies on patients over the age of 60 years from 1970 to 1977 inclusive were reviewed and examined for evidence of atheroembolism, and an incidence of 0.79% was found. In every case of embolism the aorta showed advanced atheroma, sometimes with aneurysm formation. The ESR in some instances was increased, sometimes markedly so. Some of the problems of antemorten diagnosis are discussed. To emphasise the possible clinical importance of the condition, a rare instance of spinal cord infarction due to atheroembolism is described.


Carcinoid tumour of the uterine cervix.

Carcinoid tumour of the uterine cervix. A carcinoid tumour of the cervix in a 64-year-old woman is described. It is the first time that this rare tumour has been associated with carcinoma-in-situ.


Technical quality control in histopathology. A pilot scheme for technical quality control in histopathology is described. The test material used and the methods of assessment and reporting are detailed. The scheme outlines not only interlaboratory comparison of technical performance but also provides a method of sharing uncommon material.


Pathology of five Scottish deaths from pneumonic illnesses acquired in Spain due to Legionnaires' disease agent. The pathology and histology are reported of five Scots who died of severe pneumonic illnesses after holidays in Spain, three in 1973 and two in 1977. There is strong evidence in favour of all the deaths having been due to the newly discovered Legionnaires' disease (LD) agent. The agent (or its soluble antigen) has been visualised in sections of lung tissue by fluorescent-antibody tests in all cases, and the agent has been identified by the Dieterle silver staining method in small numbers in all cases. Serological testing was possible in three of the patients, and two had very high antibody titres against the LD agent. Apart from the extensive and severe nature of the pathological process there is no feature to distinguish pulmonary infection by this agent from that due to more commonly known bacteria capable of causing lobar pneumonia. The severity and extensive nature of the process is partly a reflection of neglect in seeking treatment until late in the infection, and partly a reflection, as revealed in retrospect, on the use of the wrong antibiotic combination during treatment. Erythromycin has been recommended by other workers as the drug of choice against the LD agent. Infection by this organism is not confined to the USA or to Spain and is indigenous also in the United Kingdom.


Circulating immune complexes and complement levels in relation to the clinical presentation of Nigerian children with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. Circulating immune complexes have been detected in the sera of 24 Nigerian children with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis using two methods. There was a significant correlation between levels of soluble complexes, detected in samples taken from patients in the oliguric phase of acute nephritis, and severity of disease, as judged by blood urea levels. Serial estimation of immune complexes was more useful than serial C3 estimation in predicting the onset of anuria in two patients admitted with mild disease who subsequently deteriorated. With one exception, C4 values were normal. Factor B levels were low in 90% of cases, in keeping with activation of the alternate complement pathway.


Routine use of counter-immunoelectrophoresis test for detecting antibody to hepatitis B virus core antigen. Tests by counter-immunoelectrophoresis for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were introduced into a routine testing programme for evidence of hepatitis B virus infection. Samples tested for anti-HBc were selected on the basis of the results of tests for HBsAg and clinical details. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were assessed and correlations made with the presence of HBsAg. The presence of anti-HBc was very useful in the interpretation of a doubtful positive result for HBsAg in the haemagglutination test. With very few exceptions the serum samples positive for HBsAg by routine tests also contained anti-HBc. It is concluded that the test is valuable and merits introduction into routine testing programmes.


Serological evidence of presence of HBsAg undetectable by conventional radioimmunoassay in anti-HBc positive blood donors. Sera from two blood donors, one of whom was implicated in a case of post-transfusion hepatitis B, were found to be positive for anti-HBc and negative for HBsAg by conventional radioimmunoassay and were retested for HBsAg after concentration (pepsin digestion and polyethylene glycol precipitation). The presence of occult HBsAg was confirmed in both. These observations have implications for blood transfusion, and wider studies of anti-HBc in blood donors are recommended before the introduction of routine screening for anti-HBc and exclusion of the positive donors from blood donation.


Prevalence of pathogenic yeasts and humoral antibodies to candida in diabetic patients. The prevalence of oral yeasts and humoral precipitating antibodies to candida was estimated in 204 unselected diabetic patients (172 outpatients and 32 inpatients). Yeasts, mainly Candida albicans, were isolated from the mouths of 41% of the outpatients and precipitins were found in 17.5% although none of the patients had clinically overt candidiasis. The extent of oral yeast colonisation and incidence of antibodies was not related to their antidiabetic treatment or to the duration of their diabetes. It was, however, related to the blood glucose and urine sugar levels at the time they were sampled, the highest incidence being among the diabetic inpatients with high blood glucose levels at the time of sampling and the lowest among outpatients with normal blood glucose levels at the time of sampling. There was no such correlation when diabetic control over the previous 12-month period was considered.


Food as a source of Klebsiella species for colonisation and infection of intensive care patients. Food prepared for intensive care patients was frequently contaminated with Klebsiella species. Sixty-eight per cent of nasogastric feeds were contaminated with up to 10(4) klebsiellae per ml. Hospital kitchens were the source of contamination. Three patients ingested klebsiellae and subsequently excreted the same serotype in their faeces. Over a four-week period there was a correlation between kitchen, food, faecal, and clinical serotypes of klebsiellae. Serotypes ingested by intensive care patients occurred more frequently in clinical isolates from intensive care patients than from other hospital patients. Patients often acquired a food strain that had been ingested by another patient on the same ward.


R-factor mediated trimethoprim resistance: result of two three-month clinical surveys. All urinary tract isolates were monitored in the Whittington Hospital, London for trimethoprim resistance over a three-month period in 1975; this survey was repeated 18 months later in 1977. In the later survey the incidence of trimethoprim resistance had increased significantly, and the proportion of strains carrying R-factors conferring trimethoprim resistance had nearly doubled. The pattern of resistances associated with R-factor trimethoprim resistance also changed betweeen these two surveys.


Use of sensitivity discs as primary antibiotic standards in MIC determination. A method for the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) is described, in which commercially prepared antibiotic sensitivity testing discs are used as primary antibiotic standards from which the necessary dilutions are prepared in WHO Perspex haemagglutination plates. The materials required are readily available in most laboratories at a cost in time and reagents that compares favourably with most traditional methods of MIC testing. The same techniques may also be used to demonstrate combined antibiotic activity and to differentiate between bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity, with little expenditure of laboratory resources.


Gas liquid chromatography for detection of bacteriuria: examination for volatile acidic and neutral compounds. Direct injection of clinically infected urines on porous-polymer columns was investigated to determine which microbial metabolites were consistently detectable, and whether their presence could be used as a reliable index of infection. Chromosorb 101 was found to be the most suitable porous polymer for the detection of microbial metabolites; greater sensitivity of detection was achieved by partial purification of the urine before injection. Acetic acid was the only compound found consistently and it enabled 10(6) microorganisms per ml to be detected in urine. However, as urinary tract infection is diagnosed by the presence of 10(5) organisms or more per ml, our method is insufficiently sensitive for the detection of bacteriuria. Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella spp, Proteus spp, Stapyhlococcus albus, and Streptocococcus faecalis were detectable by our method but Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were not.


Radioimmunoassay of serum ferritin.

Radioimmunoassay of serum ferritin. Purified human spleen ferritin was labelled with 125I. On Sepharose 6-B gel filtration four species of labelled products were separated: a component with a higher molecular weight than ferritin; a component which is eluted in the same volume as unlabelled ferritin; and two labelled compounds with molecular weights lower than ferritin. When these labelled materials were used in a double antibody radioimmunoassay, the high molecular weight fraction showed variable and high non-specific binding and was poorly displaced by unlabelled ferritin; the fraction behaving like true ferritin gave good standard curves and showed non-specific binding of less than 1%. The remaining two components showed poor binding to rabbit antiferritin. Using labelled material from the second fraction, a double antibody radioimmunoassay capable of measuring 2 microgram ferritin protein/litre of serum was developed. Inter- and intra-assay variation was between 3% and 8% over a concentration range of 0 to 250 microgram ferritin protein/litre. Good agreement between serum ferritin levels assayed by the present method and by an immunoradiometric method was obtained. Labelled ferritin was stable for at least six weeks. The simplicity of the methodology makes it possible to assay serum ferritin in large batches.


A microtechnique for measuring red cell osmotic fragility of infants. Chloramphenicol (D-threo-2-dichloroacetamido-1-p-nitrophenylpropane-1,3-diol) added to blood samples did not alter the observed shift in the red cell osmotic fragility curves as the samples were aged in vitro for 24 hours at 37 degrees C. Nor was the normal rate of loss of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, ATP, or glutathione from the red cells affected by the presence of chloramphenicol over the same period. Consequently, this bacteriostatic agent can be added to blood samples taken under non-sterile conditions, such as from the heel of an infant, in order to preserve them from the effects of microbial contamination. In this way red cell osmotic fragility results can be obtained on non-sterile samples after their incubation at 37 degrees C for 24 hours. A miniaturisation of the standard osmotic fragility procedure is described, which allows results to be produced from the small, non-sterile samples obtained by heel-prick of infants.


An unstable haemoglobin, Hb Tacoma beta30 (B12) arg leads to ser, detected at birth by the demonstration of red cell inclusions. Incomplete expression of human haemoglobin beta-chains at birth may lead to difficulty in the early demonstration of an inherited beta-chain variant. In this case, the rare unstable variant, Hb Tacoma beta30 (B12) arg leads to ser, although not present in cord blood in sufficient amounts to be easily detected by routine electrophoretic techniques, was readily shown to be present by the striking inclusions provoked by prolonged incubation of the neonatal red cells with new methylene blue.


An analysis of blood specimen container leakage. Procedures have been designed to test specimen containers for leakage, using blood and aqueous fluorescein solution as indicators. They have been used in a trial evaluation of a number of commercially available containers intended for medical specimens. Glass bijou bottles, evacuated container systems, and several types of plastic container showed no significant leakage rate with either blood or aqueous solution when they were tested at room temperature, but a large proportion of the plastic containers leaked after being subjected to -20 degrees. C. These would thus be suitable and satisfactory for blood count specimens but not for specimens of serum and other body fluids, which are usually stored frozen. With all types of container tested there was spontaneous discharge of contents (blood or aqueous solution) on opening in a proportion of them; thus no container at present available seems to be entirely free from hazard.


Hemodynamic effects of morphine in cardiac disease. The hemodynamic effects of intravenous morphine were documented by right heart catheterization in six patients with an acute uncomplicated transmural myocardial infarction one to three days after the onset of symptoms. Intracardiac pressures, brachial artery pressure, and cardiac output were determined before and 15 minutes after the termination of the morphine infusion. Five milligrams morphine was given intravenously over a 10-minute period. The brachial artery pressure fell from a mean of 78 to a mean of 73 mm Hg (NS). As a result or morphine administration, the average cardiac index decreased from 2.68 to 2.31 liters/min-m2 (P is less than 0.05), and the stroke index decreased from 27 to 22 ml/beat-m2 (P is less than 0.05). Only small changes were observed in the intracardiac pressures.


Contribution to the pharmacokinetics of amitriptyline. The clinical pharmacokinetics of amitriptyline were studied in four volunteers after the oral administration of 75 mg. Peak amitriptyline plasma concentrations ranged from 10.8 to 43.7 ng/ml. The disappearance was biphasic and followed first-order kinetics. The mean elimination half-life was 36.1 hours. The mean estimated first-pass metabolism of amitriptyline was 60 per cent. Significant quantities of the metabolite, nortriptyline, were produced although peak concentrations ranged from only 5.9 to 12.3 ng/ml. The relationship between these findings to clinical practice and earlier reports is discussed.


Pharmacokinetics of theophylline in infancy. Theophylline clearance rates and half-life values were measured in 15 infants aged three to 23 months, after infusion of aminophylline by the intravenous route for at least 24 hours. The mean clearance rate was 1.07 +/- 0.55 ml/min-kg, which is comparable with values obtained by others in older children. There was some correlation of clearance rates with age. The mean half-life was 4.4 +/- 2.2 hours. There was a tenfold variability in half-life, suggesting that individualization of theophylline dose is especially important in infants if undertreatment and toxicity are to be avoided.


Displacement of bilirubin from albumin by indomethacin. The primary albumin binding site of indomethacin is remote from the bilirubin binding site. Indomethacin is, at most, a weak displacer of bilirubin at low serum drug concentrations. When administered at dosages less than 1 mg/kg, indomethacin would appear to be safe with respect to serum binding of bilirubin in premature infants.


The effect of phenobarbital on the metabolism of meperidine in normal volunteers. Phenobarbital has been observed clinically to alter the metabolism of meperidine, with resultant enhanced toxicity. In order to determine if this effect occurs consistently, 12 health volunteers were entered into a two-way, crossover study comparing the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of meperidine after pretreatment with both phenobarbital and placebo. Phenobarbital pretreatment had no significant effect on serum levels or the half-life of meperidine. However, phenobarbital pretreatment resulted in a decrease in the cumulative excretion of meperidine and an increase in the cumulative excretion of the N-demethylated metabolite normeperidine. Similarly, phenobarbital pretreatment resulted in a decrease in meperidinic acid and increase in normeperidinic acid. In addition, phenobarbital pretreatment also significantly altered the hepatic clearance of meperidine, indicating an increase in the hepatic N-demethylation of meperidine. Since normeperidine has been reported to be less efficacious and more toxic than meperidine, this reported interaction may be important clinically, especially with repeated doses.


Cinoxacin: pharmacokinetics and the effect of probenecid. Cinoxacin is a new synthetic organic antibacterial compound which has a serum half-life of approximately 1 hour. Most of the drug is eliminated in man by the kidney, primarily as unchanged drug. The renal clearance of cinoxacin is slightly greater than the usually accepted value for the average glomerular filtration rate, which suggests that it is probably filtered and is also secreted by the tubule. Results after pretreatment with probenecid further suggest secretion of the drug.


Transverse section imaging with carbon-11 labeled carbon monoxide. The inhalation of small quantities of carbon-11 labeled carbon monoxide results in a useful red cell label to identify vascular structures in the body and quantitate red cell concentration in tissues. Transverse section images are obtained using PC-II, the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Positron Camera. Attenuation correction is performed either by means of transmission data or by analytical methods. Sets of transverse section images give information on red cell distribution in head and torso. Such images may be useful in identifying vascular abnormalities or in quantitating red cell physiology.


Computed tomographic metrizamide myelography in spinal dysraphism in infants and children. Computed tomographic metrizamide myelography (CTMM) is an accurate and satisfactory method for examining the spinal cord in infants and children. Twenty-three patients with spinal dysraphism have been studied by CTMM. This method has proven more informative than conventional myelography in the evaluation of the dysraphic state.


Computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses and face: part I. Normal anatomy. With the ability to image both bone and soft tissue structures, computed tomography (CT) is capable of visualizing many normal anatomical structures of the paranasal sinuses and face not seen with other radiological techniques. The superficial and deep fat planes, all of the muscles of mastication, and many of the facial muscles are readily identified. The extraocular muscles, optic nerves, and globes are clearly seen. The purpose of this report is to review the normal anatomy of the paranasal sinuses and face imaged by CT in both the transverse and coronal planes.


Computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses and face: part II. Pathological anatomy. Computed tomography (CT) has added an important new dimension to the radiological evaluation of diseases of the paranasal sinuses and face. Using transverse and coronal scans, accurate assessment of the character and extent of mass lesions in this region can be achieved. Erosion of thin bony lamine and involvement of soft tissue structures of the face can be seen. Most important, CT is capable of precisely defining the extension of lesions into the pterygopalatine fossa, orbit, and cranial cavity, information that is essential for therapeutic planning.


An evaluation of cadmium telluride detectors for computer assisted tomography. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) presents a set of extremely attractive features as an X-ray detector for computer assisted tomography (CAT). It is stable and easily handled; has a high detection efficiency and very efficient conversion of energy to charge; and permits a high element density in a compact configuration. Unfortunately, effects due to "polarization," "tailing," high and variable leakage currents, and long "memory" are incompatible with the needs of CAT instrumentation. Pulse-processing techniques have allowed us to eliminate these problems in positive-sensitive detectors, thus opening the way for utilization of CdTe in CAT.


Computed tomographic diagnosis of pseudoascites (floating viscera syndrome). Two cases of excessive fat deposition in the abdomen, confused clinically as massive ascites, are reported. Computed tomography (CT) has proven useful in making a definitive diagnosis of fat deposition in the abdominal and retroperitoneal space and has made further clinical studies unnecessary. No prior cases of pseudoascites (floating viscera syndrome) have been reported in the radiologic literature despite the specificity of CT diagnosis.


The displaced crus: a sign for distinguishing between pleural fluid and ascites on computed tomography. Fluid collections in the lower pleural cavity and upper abdominal cavity may sometimes appear similar on computed tomography. Lateral displacement of the diaphragmatic crus and interposition of fluid between the crus and vertebral column indicate an intrapleural component. Demonstration of fluid anterior to the crus establishes an intraperitoneal component. Medial location of the posterior recess of the fluid collection and the intercostal bulging of its lateral margin suggest a pleural effusion.


Differentiation of pleural and pulmonary lesions using computed tomography. We report an analysis of computed tomography (CT) of the thorax in 75 patients with combinations of pleural and parenchymal disease or complex pleural shadows. These patients were among more than 300 with pulmonary disease examined by this method. Twenty-eight percent of the 75 scans within this group were classified as high value, contributing information which was not available from other clinical or roentgenographic data, and which directly altered the management, diagnosis, or prognosis of these patients. Forty percent of the scans were classified as of intermediate value, contributing to better understanding of the case but with no major influence on patient management or prognosis. Thirty-two percent of the scans added no additional information to the chest roentgenograms. Thirty-seven percent of the 46 scans done specifically to differentiate pleural from parenchymal disease were classified as of high value, but only 14% of the scans in patients with pleural fluid loculations or pleural masses were placed in this category. We conclude that thoracic CT provided information not otherwise available in one third of the patients with complex combined pleural and parenchymal disease examined in our series.


Utility of body computed tomography in the clinical follow-up of abdominal masses. The value of follow-up body computed tomography was assessed in 101 patients with a known or suspected abdominal or pelvic mass. Computed tomography proved to be a useful noninvasive technique for evaluating progression, regression, or recurrence of such masses after therapeutic intervention. Computed tomography provided new or unique clinical information in 87% of these patients: it was not helpful in 2% due to technical difficulty and was misleading in 4%.


Computed tomography in hydatid disease of the liver: a report on 13 cases. Computed tomography (CT) findings in hydatid disease (echinococciasis) of the liver are described. Disease was caused by Echinococcus granulosus (n = 8) or E. alveolaris (n = 5), respectively. The CT appearance of these two types of echinococciasis is quite different; in disease caused by E. granulosus the CT appearance is pathognomonic when cysts and daughter cysts surrounded by a capsula and peripheral calcification are discernible. In addition, the extent of organ involvement can be determined prior to surgical intervention. The CT appearance of E. alveolaris lesions may be indiscernible from malignant tumors.


Evaluation of laryngeal cancer by computed tomography. Six cases of laryngeal cancer have been examined by computed tomography. The findings were correlated with those obtained by laryngoscopy and in five cases by pathological examination of the surgical specimens. Computed tomography accurately delineated the extent of tumor involvement of the laryngeal and paralaryngeal soft tissues. The diagnosis of involvement of the laryngeal cartilages presents some problems, which are discussed.


Intraventricular hemorrhage in blunt head trauma. A series of 200 computed tomography (CT) scans performed for blunt head trauma was reviewed. Six patients were found to have clearly definable intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH); in three cases no other CT abnormality was noted. Computed tomography represents the only noninvasive method of detecting IVH, and the incidence of this entity has not previously been studied. Future attention to this problem may well demonstrate an even higher incidence, and establishment of its prognostic significance in trauma will be of considerable value. Scanning in the immediate posttrauma period is crucial.


Case report. Computer assisted tomography in syringomyelia. A case of cervicothoracic syringomyelia shown on computer assisted tomography is presented. Surgical verification was obtained, and the extent of the cord cavitation was also demonstrated.


Storage of lactose-hydrolysed dried milk: effect of water activity on the protein nutritional value. The retention of the protein nutritional value during storage of lactose-hydrolysed dried milk at different water activities (aw) was studied and compared with that of ordinary milk. In the lactose-hydrolysed milk biologically available lysine decreased much more rapidly than in the ordinary milk at all the different aw studied. Thus, at conditions normally accepted for ordinary dried milk (aw approximately 0.2; moisture approximately 4%) there was an available lysine loss in the hydrolysed milk of about 25% after 2 months and about 40% after 6-months storage at room temperature. This occurred without any visible browning. It is concluded that drying to very low aw (less than or equal to 0.11) is necessary to obtain good stability of the protein nutritional value (PNV) in lactose-hydrolysed milk. The drying, however, must be done so that losses in nutritional value are minimal during that process. It should also be noted that fat oxidation might be a problem at such low aw. A chemical method for available lysine assay (guanidination and assay of homoarginine) gave values in good agreement with the biological evaluations with rats.


The metabolism of [14C]bicarbonate by Streptococcus lactis: the synthesis of succinic acid. Whole cells of Streptococcus lactis C10, when incubated with an energy source, converted fumarate to succinate and malate to lactate. Cell-free extracts of Str. lactis C10 contained fumarate reductase, but no aspartase, adenylosuccinate synthetase and lyase or argininosuccinate synthetase and lyase activity could be detected. Cells grown in the presence of [14C]bicarbonate produced labelled succinate during the synthesis of purine bases. However, the amount of succinate produced by this pathway only accounted for approximately one-sixth of the succinate produced by the cells.


The metabolism of [14C]bicarbonate by Streptococcus lactis: the fixation of [14C]bicarbonate by pyruvate carboxylase. The fixation of [14C]bicarbonate into aspartate by Streptococcus lactis C10 was achieved by the combined reactions of pyruvate carboxylase (E.C. 6.4.1.1) and glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (E.C. 2.6.1.1). The pyruvate carboxylase from Str. lactis C10, which was most active at pH 8.0, was activated by the divalent metal ions Mn2+, Mg2+ and Co2+, and inhibited by sulphydryl reagents. The enzyme was inhibited non-competitively by aspartic acid and competitively by oxaloacetate.


Calorimetric identification of several strains of lactic acid bacteria. A microcalorimetric method has been developed for the identification of 9 representative strains of lactic acid bacteria used in the dairy industry. A chemically defined medium containing several carbohydrates gave reproducible and characteristic growth patterns. The technique is proposed as a rapid alternative method for the identification of bacteria selected for commercial use.


Formation of intracellular fat droplets: interrelation of newly synthesized phosphatidylcholine and triglyceride in milk. The lipogenic system of fresh goat milk was used to investigate the relationship of lipid synthesis to formation of fat droplets. The skim milk phase was incubated with [1-carbon-14] palmitate and incorporation of activity into the glycerolipids was assayed. In two representative experiments, 44 and 56% of the label was incorporated into the lipids. Most of this activity (78 to 84%) was in triglycerides. Of 12 and 10% activity in the phospholipids, about 60% was contained in phosphatidylcholine with substantially smaller amounts in the other phospholipids. The synthesis of triglyceride and phosphatidylcholine was further investigated in relation to distribution of labeled lipids in a cream layer and a sedimenting fluff (membrane) fraction derived by centrifuging the skim milks following incubation. The correlation coefficient for the amounts of activity in phosphatidylcholine and triglyceride in the cream layer was .97. The data are consistent with synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and triglyceride to meet the requirements of surface and volume expansion, respectively, in formation of fat droplets. Our findings suggest the interesting working hypothesis that phosphatidylcholine synthesis regulates development of fat droplets.


Effect of succulent and nonsucculent diets on rumen motility and pressure before, during, and after eating. Rumen motility was measured in cattle by recording changes in rumen pressure through a rumen cannula. Irrespective of diet, eating increased rumen motility and amplitude of primary rumen contractions. Succulent, readily fermentable, and nonscabrous alfalfa tops fed alone or with oat hay produced a greater frequency of primary and secondary rumen contractions than oat hay fed alone. The intrarumen pressure was also greater when alfalfa tops were fed. Oat hay in the diet caused primary rumen contractions of a greater amplitude than when alfalfa tops were fed alone. Correlations were positive between frequency of primary and secondary rumen contractions and intrarumen pressure.


Effect of environmental factors and fetal and maternal genotype on gestation length and birth weight of Holstein calves. Records of gestation length and birth weight on 1522 live single births (from 1958 to 1976) of Holstein calves were from 81 sires and 552 dams. Average gestation length was 282.3 days, and average birth weight was 42.9 kg. Male calves were carried 1.7 days longer than female calves and weighed 2.9 kg more at birth. Both gestation length and birth weight increased with parity. Calves born in spring and summer were carried shorter times and weighed less than those born in fall and winter. Heritabilities of gestation length and birth weight as progeny traits were .73 and .51 and as maternal traits were .19 and .26. Genetic correlations between gestation length and birth weight were .46 as a progeny trait and .35 as a maternal trait. Genetic correlations between progeny traits and maternal traits were negative. The phenotypic correlation between gestation length and birth weight was .37, and environmental correlation was .30.


Concurrent cutaneous and hepatic hemangiomata in infancy: report of a case and a review of the literature. Fifty-eight cases of concurrent cutaneous and hepatic hemangiomatosis in infants have been reported in the world literature. A fifty-ninth case is herewith reported and the literature is reviewed. Untreated cases have a mortality rate of 81%, whereas the mortality of treated cases is 29%. The main cause of death appears to be the consequence of arteriovenous shunting in the liver. Early and aggressive treatment by prednisone, radiotherapy to the liver, partial resection of liver, and ligation of the hepatic artery, each alone or in combinations, have been effective.


Therapeutic vascular occlusion.

Therapeutic vascular occlusion. Therapeutic vascular occlusion has been developed to a practicable point by now. The materials used and methods practiced in the Department of Radiology of the New York University School of Medicine are presented in detail.


Social factors and height of primary schoolchildren in England and Scotland. In 1972 the height of 7601 children aged five to 11.5 years in England and of 2214 in Scotland was measured. Their parents were asked to complete a questionnaire to provide social and antrhopometric information. A sequence of linear models was fitted to the data to assess the associations between social and biological factors and height. At the time of the study it was found that sibship size, father's social class, and his employment status all had a significant relationship with child's height; however, parents' height and child's birthweight both accounted for relatively more of the variance in child's height than father's social class and employment status. In England, sibship size significantly influenced the height of children of manual workers, but not that of nonmanual workers' children. In Scotland, sibship size was associated with height in all social groups. Surveillance and possibly intervention in a wide range of activities should be directed at socially more deprived groups; for example, in Social Class V, in which there are more large families and unemployment is more common.


Comparative epidemiology of multiple sclerosis and dental caries. The geographical distribution and other epidemiological characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) are compared with those of dental caries. The rates of death due to MS in Australian states are linearly related to the numbers of decayed, missing, and filled (DMF) teeth found in individuals from those states (r=0.97, P less than 0.002). In the United States of America, a strong positive correlation (r=0.55, P less than 0.001) also exists between MS death rates and dental caries indices. The prevalence of MS in 45 countries or areas correlates well with the frequencies of DMF teeth among children of school age in those locations (r=0.78, P less than 0.001). The prevalence of MS also correlates well with the percentage of edentulous individuals in certain countries (r=0.99, P less than 0.001). A review of the literature shows that the risk for dental caries is lower among the following groups: the lower socioeconomic classes in the United States of America; Chinese immigrants to England compared with natives; blacks compared with whites; and males compared with females. The dental caries risk is higher during pregnancy and lactation. All these trends have been described for MS as well. It is suggested that dental caries may be a more accurate epidemiological model for MS than poliomyelitis. It is also suggested that MS and dental caries may share certain aetiological factors, two of which may be dietary excess of certain fats, and vitamin D deficiency.


Hysterectomy rates and their influence upon mortality from carcinoma of the cervix. Cumulative hysterectomy rates for women in England and Wales have been estimated from data in the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry, and the effect of hysterectomy operations on mortality from cancer of the cervix has been calculated. About six to seven per cent of women born at about the turn of the century have had an hysterectomy by the age of 70, and this proportion could rise to about 19% for women born in the 1940s if present operation rates continue. The time trends in mortality from cancer of the cervix between generations of women are not at present distorted by correction for women without a cervix. Operation rates and their effect on cervical cancer mortality rates are much smaller in England and Wales than in the United States of America.


Carcinoma of the breast in East Anglia 1960-1975: a changing pattern of presentation? A study was made of the clinical stage at presentation in 10 081 cases of carcinoma of the breast registered with the East Anglian Cancer Registration Bureau between 1960 and 1975. Information about the length of clinical history was obtained in 8862 cases. There has been a gradual increase in the population-adjusted incidence of breast carcinoma in the region during the period studied. Since 1968, there has been a consistent increase in Stage I and II registrations, but a fall in Stage III registrations. Stage IV registrations have remained constant. A greater proportion of women with Stage I or II lesions present with a short clinical history, and this pattern has not changed during the course of the study. We suggest that increased interest in, and opportunities for, the early diagnosis of breast disease are leading to a change in the pattern of presentation.


A study of the fertility of mothers of twins. Data on all births to Birmingham residents during a ten-year period were used to compare the reproductive history of mothers immediately before and after a twin maternity with that of mothers of similar age and parity before and after a single birth. It was found that mothers of twins were less likely than mothers of singletons to have a subsequent birth if both twins survived, but if only one survived there was little difference between the two groups. If both twins died, however, the likelihood of a later birth was increased. The interval before the next birth was longer than expected when both twins survived and much shorter when both died. The sex of the twins appeared to have little influence on subsequent reproduction, in spite of the fact that for singleton-containing fraternities a further pregnancy was more likely if the first two children were of the same sex than if they were of opposite sexes. The mean interval preceding a twin maternity was almost the same as that preceding a single birth when both twins survived, but it was shorter when one twin died (being similar to that preceding the birth of a singleton who died) and it was much shorter when both twins died.


Predisposing factors leading to child trauma. An analysis of specific versus non-specific causes in motor vehicle and drowning fatalities. In many Western countries, trauma is the chief cause of death in children aged one to 14 years. A large number of these deaths are the result of motor vehicle accidents or drowning. It is postulated that the causes of such trauma can be classified into (a) non-specific, predetermining social factors; (b) specific social factors; and (c) acute triggers. Prevention strategies vary considerably for these three groups. Prevention is most cost-effective when directed against specific social factors. In this paper, data for childhood motor vehicle and drowning fatalities in Australia have been analysed and scored for non-specific social influences on childhood accidents such as overcrowding or poverty. This approach allows the ranking of different communities by risk. Motor vehicle accident ratios have been calculated, and these are sufficiently specific, by age and sex, to enable comparisons to be made in future with other communities.


The effects of immunisation upon the natural history of pertussis. A family study in the Cardiff area. During an outbreak of pertussis in the Cardiff area in 1974, 229 children with the disease were studied to assess the effect of immunisation upon its natural history and severity. The typical clinical features of pertussis, such as paroxysmal cough, whooping, vomiting, cyanosis, and irregular breathing, were less prevalent in both the immunised and the older children. Immunisation is the main factor in protecting against complications such as fits; and, together with older age, it protects against hospitalisation. Nevertheless, pertussis today can be just as severe as it was 40 years ago, and the vaccine remains the major factor ameliorating its natural history. The immunisation programme needs more active support by all child health workers.


Health service 'input' and mortality 'output' in developed countries. The relationship between age-specific mortality rates and some indices of health facilities and some environmental and dietary factors has been studied in 18 developed couuntries. The indices of health care are not negatively associated with mortality, and there is a marked positive association between the prevalence of doctors and mortality in the younger age groups. No explanation of this doctor anomaly has so far been found. Gross national product per head is the principal variable which shows a consistently strong negative association with mortality.


The application of a Poisson model to the annual distribution of daily mortality at six Montreal hospitals. The daily distributions of annual mortality for varying numbers of years between 1965 and 1975 were investigated in three geriatric hospitals and three general hospitals in the Montreal area. Nearly all the observed mortality distributions were found to mimic the classical Poisson distribution, with little departure. In two of the larger hospitals, the matching of the daily mortality distributions with their Poisson models met stringent statistical criteria. In one of them it was even possible to predict the expected mortality frequencies merely from a knowledge of the annual totals. The remaining four hospitals, which included the three geriatric institutions, also exhibited mortalities regarded as highly suggestive of Poisson distributions, although in one of the geriatric hospitals the mortality distribution tended to be somewhat erratic in this respect.


Social support of patients attending a geriatric day hospital. A longitudinal survey of the social support of patients attending one geriatric day hospital confirmed an impression that support was not being adjusted to meet the changing degrees of dependency among the patients. An experimental study, in which the social support available to a small group of consecutive new admissions was reduced, showed that their dependency scores were not significantly different from those of a control group which continued to receive support. The significance of this finding in reducing the cost of day hospital care is discussed.


Smoking in hospital: a survey of attitudes of staff, patients, and visitors. A survey was carried out on attitudes to smoking in hospital. Analysis of 411 interviews showed that the majority (64%) of those questioned approved of some restrictions on patients smoking in the wards. Eighteen per cent would have liked to see a complete ban on smoking, while an identical number favoured no restrictions at all. Smoking habit influenced response; only 8% of smokers, compared with 25% of non-smokers, would have liked to see a total ban on smoking. Attitudes to smoking varied according to the status of the persons interviewed; only 6% of visitors and 7% of nurses approved of a complete ban on smoking, compared with 32% of medical students and 27% of doctors. The results suggest that the introduction of smoking and non-smoking areas in hospital wards would be approved by the majority of patients, staff, and visitors.


Binaural summation of the loudness of pure tones. Subjects made magnitude estimations of the loudness of pure tones (100, 400, and 1000 Hz), which were presented at equal and unequal sound pressure levels to the two ears. The results were consistent with a model of linear binaural loudness summation: The estimates of loudness approximated the linear sum of the loudness estimates of the individual left-ear and right-ear components. The relation between loudness and sound pressure, over moderate SPLs, can be described by a power function with an exponent of about 0.6 at 400 and 1000 Hz, 0.75 at 100 Hz.


Frequency discrimination in the chinchilla. Chinchillas were trained with shock-avoidance procedures to discriminate or detect pure-tone frequency differences. Inital attempts at determining frequency-difference thresholds utilized a complex discrimination paradigm and a go-no-go response. Although discriminations of large frequency differences were obtained from chinchillas after considerable training, discriminations of small frequency differences could not be trained. Therefore, determinations of frequency-difference thresholds could not be made with the complex discrimination paradigm and the go-no-go response task. A simple detection paradigm, involving the detection of frequency alternation in an ongoing train of tone bursts proved to be a more successful technique. Frequency-alternation detection was quickly learned by six chinchillas, and frequency-difference thresholds were obtained with an adaptive sequential procedure. Psychometric functions were reconstructed from the threshold tracking data of chinchillas, and comparisons were made with differential frequency thresholds from cats and humans obtained by previous investigators. Differential frequency thresholds from chinchillas paralleled those from cats and were about twice as large. Differential frequency thresholds from humans were considerably smaller than from chinchillas, especially for low-frequency tones. When a constant detectability index was used to specify differential frequency sensitiviy in chinchillas, chinchilla and human differential sensitivity functions paralleled one another. Human differential sensitivity was about ten times better than that of the chinchilla.


Theory of binaural interaction based in auditory-nerve data. IV. A model for subjective lateral position. A model for the subjective lateral position of 500-Hz tones is presented and compared with experimental lateralization data. Previous papers in this series have explicitly described the auditory-nerve response to these stimuli and proposed a binaural displayer that interaurally compares the auditory-nerve firing times. The outputs of the displayer are postulated to represent the only information about detailed firing times that is available to the brain. In the present paper, lateral-position predictions are obtained by a central nonoptimal weighting of these outputs that depends on the interaural intensity difference of the tone. These predictions describe the results of lateralization-matching experiments more accurately and over a wider range of stimulus conditions than previous theories, except for those results which suggest that low-frequency binaural tones can generate multiple perceptual images. The predictions of our model are also consistent with the results of centering and laterality-comparison experiments. It is argued that the data discussed in this paper are generally incompatible with theories that propose a peripheral interaction of interaural timing and intensity information such as the latency hypothesis.


Suppression and critical bands in band-limiting experiments. Band-limiting experiments were performed at three noise spectrum levels (N0 = 25, 40, and 55 dB SPL) for forward, simultaneous, and backward masking. Threshold for a 2-kHz sinusoid decreased for masker bandwidths greater than a "critical bandwidth" in nonsimultaneous masking. These results are evidence for a suppression effect not observed in simultaneous masking; however, a qualitative model of suppression can account for the results in all three types of masking. In addition, the data for simultaneous masking support Fletcher's [Rev. Mod. Phys. 12, 47--61 (1940)] rectangular filter interpretation of the band-limiting experiment and are well described by a level-dependent critical band.


Behavioral, compound action potential, and single unit thresholds: relationship in normal and abnormal ears. Comparisons were made for two species (chinchilla and mongolian gerbil) among mean behavioral audiogram, mean just detectable action potential (AP) responses to tone bursts, and single-fiber response thresholds at the characteristic frequency, averaged in one-octave bands. In normal animals and in a group of Kayamycin-treated chinchillas, these mean measures appear to have a well-ordered relationship. Unit and AP thresholds are within 10 dB from one another throughout the frequency range. Behavioral thresholds are usually 15--20 dB more sensitive, but the three curves are roughly parallel except at the highest frequencies, where the behavioral threshold begins to increase approximately one-half octave above the physiological ones. Individual examples for four gerbils and four chinchillas having hair cell losses due to Kanamycin intoxication reinforce the notion based on mean data that in most cases AP thresholds can serve to predict the behavioral threshold configuration.


Presumed noise-induced permanent threshold shift resulting from exposure to an A-weighted Leq of 89 dB. The noise-induced permanent threshold shift (NIPTS) resultings form up to ten years of exposure to an average A-weighted sound level Leq of 89 dB was investigated. Prior occupational noise exposure was controlled for by eliminating subjects with previous high-noise-level jobs or uncertain exposure histories. The final population consisted of 42 males and 58 females working a steady-state broadband noise environments. No attempt was made to screen subjects for any auditory pathology. A 222-subject control group from the same geographic area as the exposed subjects was selected such that none of its constituents had any effective industrial noise exposure. Presumed NIPTS was calculated by correcting each individual audiogram of the exposed subjects according to the aging curves developed from the control population hearing levels. The results indicated a considerable male-female difference in NIPTS, even though both groups were exposed to the same Leq. Averaging the results for all 100 subjects, in order to make comparisons to other available data, yielded results in close agreement to predictions based upon the work of Burns and Robinson, Baughn. NIOSH, and Passchier--Vermeer, indicating that 10 years of exposure to a daily Leq of 89 dB causes measurable hearing loss at 4 kHz.


Nationwide urban noise survey.

Nationwide urban noise survey. Most current knowledge about community response to noise exposure is derived from studies of high-level transportation sources. A nationwide urban noise survey was undertaken to study effects associated with more moderate but far more common sorts of noise exposure. Over 2000 respondents at 24 sites in seven cities of varying noise exposure and population density were interviewed by telephone and in person about their reactions to everyday noises. A brief but comprehensive structured questionnaire was based on direct questioning about annoyance and related effects. Among the major findings of the survey were widespread annoyance and speech interference from exposure to urban noise and strong relationships between the extent of annoyance and exposure level, speech interference, and population density.


Disturbance of sleep by noise.

Disturbance of sleep by noise. Young, middle-aged, and old subjects, 35 in all, were tested to determine the probability of disturbance of sleep, as judged by EEG records, by seven noises per night produced by a recording of a passing truck. There is roughly a linear relation with the A-weighted noise level. Young and old people have nearly the same response while middle-aged subjects are more sensitive by about 15 dB. This applies also to the probability of awaking. The probability of shifts in sleep to a shallower level does not appear to adapt in 24 successive nights with seven noises per night but the probability of waking drops to half value in about two weeks. Response increases with duration of the stimulus, at least over the limited range from fractions of a second to a minute.


Human response to house vibrations caused by sonic booms or air blasts. Descriptions of the effects of sonic booms of air blasts by observers in buildings have included such statements as "noticeable vibrations" in addition to phrases such as "the house rattles," "the windows rattle," or "bric-à-brac rattles." Analysis of studies of human response to vibrations, vibration complaints in the Toronto area, special tests by Kryter at Edwards Air Force Base, and laboratory studies of human response to sonic booms show that perceived vibration is not normally a factor that contributes significantly to human response to airborne, large-amplitude impulse noise. Rather, human response is solely the result of the impulse noise itself and of audible noise due to induced radiation from vibrating surfaces.


Statistical estimation of percentage of overexposed workers. A method is outlined for estimating, from a statistical sample of exposure times and noise levels, the percentage of noise-impacted workers who are overexposed according to the OSHA regulation.


Responses of the cat's collicular auditory neuron to human speech. Collicular auditory neurons in cats were exposed to human speech sounds, and responses to the vowel /a/ in isolation and in connected speech were compared. The fundamental frequency coded was found to be independent of CF, response type ("on" type or slowly adapting), and directional sensitivity to frequency change. This suggests that the coding of speech sounds depends on the periodicity of the neural-response pattern. Responsiveness was generally greater to segmented vowels; it seems probable that a neuron's response adapts to and is suppressed by preceeding speech stimuli. The context in which a message is embedded may be very important for the processing of speech sounds.


Motor unit correlates of stress: preliminary observations. Motor unit activity was measured during 20 repetitions of [aepae] and 20 repetitions of [aepaé] with emphatic stress placed on the second syllable. A definite pattern of recruitment and discharge reorganization was observed during stressed productions characterized by (1) an increase in motor unit discharge rate, (2) recruitment of additional motor units, (3) a reduction in time intervals separating successively activated motor units, (4) an earlier onset of mandibular lowering for the open vowel in relation to initiation of motor unit activity, (5) fewer discharges of a given motor unit per utterance, and (6) sharply reduced variability in recruitment intervals. The shortened and highly stable latencies between motor unit events and motor unit-articulator events point to a more carefully orchestrated motor program for heavily stressed productions as a more forceful attainment of target specification is carried out.


Perceptibility of phonetic features in fluent speech. A series of experiments examined listeners' ability to detect mispronounced words in a short story. Mispronunciations were produced by changing a single consonant segment in a word to produce a (phonologically permissible) nonsense word. The results of six different experiments showed that prestressed work-initial stop consonants are more perceptible than other consonants. For example, mispronunciations produced by changing the voicing of a word-initial stop (e.g., "boy" to "poy") were detected about 70% of the time, while changes in voicing of a word-initial fricative (e.g., "voice" to "foice") were detected about 38% of the time. Mispronunciations produced by changing the place of articulation of a prestressed word-initial stop were most detectable of all (80% to 90% detection) for three different speakers. A change in place of articulation of a word-initial stop (e.g., "baby" to "daby") was detected as often as a change in both place of articulation and voicing (e.g., "baby" to "taby"). Finally, it was found that a mispronunciation was detected about twice as often in word-initial than in word-final position in one syllable words for both stops and nasals. The results suggest that listeners pay special attention to word-initial stop consonants in natural continuous speech.


Effects of transition length on the perception of stop consonants. This study investigated the effects of lengthened transitions on the perception of stop consonants. In experiment I, three continua representing the phonetic categories [da] and [ga]containing transitions of 45, 95, or 145 ms were presented to 20 subjects for both labeling and discrimination. Results indicated that although there was a significant change in identification performance from 95 to 145 ms, the shape of the functions, and the locus and slope of the phonetic boundary did not significantly vary across transition lengths. In addition, discrimination of within-category stimulus comparisons was significantly better at the 95-ms transition length than at 45 or 145 ms. In experiment II, the availability of acoustic information was investigated further with the adaptation paradigm. Eight subjects labeled the 45-ms series before and after adaptation with 45-, 95-, and 145-ms [da] stimuli. No effect of transition length was found. These results suggest that the slope and duration of formant transitions seem to contribute minimally to the perception of place of articulation in stop consonants.


Indirect assessment of the contribution of subglottal air pressure and vocal-fold tension to changes of fundamental frequency in English. The contributions of vocal-fold tension and of subglottal air pressure to changing fundamental frequency F0 are indirectly assessed by comparing human glottal-source data with synthetic glottal waveforms generated by the Ishizaka-Flanagan two-mass model of vocal-fold vibration. In this model, synthetic male and female glottal waves may be generated with known values of subglottal air pressure and vocal-fold tension. Human glottal waves were recorded with a reflectionless tube into which ten male and female adults phonated. The subjects produced interrogative (rising F0) and declarative (falling F0) glides and trisyllabic words with primary stress on the initial, medial, or final syllable. Two types of change in the glottal wave over time are possible, depending on whether F0 is changed primarily by vocal-fold tension or by subglottal air pressure. Comparison of the natural and synthetic glottal waves indicates that (1) the rise of frequency in interrogative words is due principally to increasing vocal-fold tension, while (2) the fall of frequency in declarative words is due principally to decreasing subglottal air pressure; (3) in the polysyllabic words, the change of frequency within syllables resembles that of the declarative monosyllables and appears due primarily to changes of subglottal air pressure; and (4) the heightened f0 of the stressed syllable is due to an increase in the vocal-fold tension, typically accompanied by increased subglottal air pressure.


Multidimensional classification of normal voice qualities. This study investigates and acoustically defines some of the perceptual parameters used to distinguish among normal male and female voices. Twenty normal speaking subjects, ten male and ten female, produced speech segments which were paired, randomized, and presented to ten listener judges. The judges rated the similarity of all combinations of voices on a seven-point scale, and these similarities were analyzed by a multidimensional analysis technique, INDSCAL. For each speaker, eight acoustical measures were obtained, and psychophysical ratings of four commonly used descriptive terms were made by ten speech pathologists. These measurements and ratings provided the interpretation of the INDSCAL solution and were also submitted to correlational analyses. The results indicate that, when distinguishing among the voices, the judges gave the greatest weight to the male versus female dimension and its acoustical correlates. The results of both the INDSCAL analysis and the correlational analyses suggest that listeners may use different perceptual strategies to classify male voices than they use to classify females ones.


Occurrence of glottal stops in fluent speech. The use of glottal stops in continuous speech in American English has not been well studied, in spite of the common belief that they may serve as boundary markers. This paper reports the result from measurements of five speakers' readings of four stories, each arranged in both list and story form. Data were analyzed according to the difference in speakers, materials, versions, phonological situations (phoneme sequence and stress situations), grammatical conditions, and frequency of occurrence of words. Results show that higher-level factors such as speaker's reading style and difficulty of material have a strong influence than phonological and grammatical factors.


Theory of binaural interaction based on auditory-nerve data. III. Joint dependence on interaural time and amplitude differences in discrimination and detection. This paper is primarily concerned with issues of symmetry-asymmetry in the joint dependence of binaural performance on interaural time delay and interaural amplitude ratio. The predictions of our model based on auditory-nerve data are shown to be inadequate for available data showing asymmetries in interaural time discrimination. Measured detection thresholds for a 500-Hz tone burst masked by wide-band noise are reported for nonunity amplitude ratios and both polarities of delays in order to test for asymmetries analogous to those observed in the time discrimination case. The detection results show only small asymmetries and are not inconsistent with the model. A general discussion of our model and the implications of available empirical results leads to a suggested modification of the model. We show by an example that modifications of the type we are suggesting are capable of describing the detection data and at least the gross trends of the discrimination data.


Threshold shifts in chinchillas exposed to octave bands of noise centered at 63 and 1000 Hz for three days(a). Audiograms were obtained on eight binaural chinchillas trained on a shuttlebox avoidance procedure. Four of the animals were exposed to three successive levels of an octave band of noise centered at 63 Hz: 100 dB SPL (74 dBA), 110 dB SPL (84 dBA), and 120 dB SPL (94 dBA). The other four animals were also exposed to three successive levels of an octave band of noise centered at 1000 Hz: 75 dB SPL (75 dBA), 85 dB SPL (85 dBA), and 95 dB SPL (95 dBA). All exposure durations were 75 h. Little threshold shift (TS) resulted from the lower two exposure levels of the 63-Hz noise band. At the 120-dB exposure level, maximum TS of 43 dB occurred at 2000 Hz. Permanent threshold shifts (PTSs) of 16 dB at 2000 Hz and 11 dB at 1400 Hz were found. Exposure to the three levels of the 1000-Hz noise band produced TSs of 20, 45, and 61 dB at 1400 Hz. The 95-dB exposure level resulted in PTSs of 6 dB at 1400 Hz and 9 dB AT 2000 Hz. The major results were (1) high-frequency hearing loss to a low-frequency noise and (2) that noise bands matched within 1 dBA were not equally hazardous as dictated by damage-risk criteria. The 63-Hz noise band produced nearly twice as much PTS as the 1000-Hz noise band.


Timbre discrimination in musical patterns. Most research on timbre perception has studied isolated tones. This study compares timbre discrimination of isolated tones with discrimination in various musical contexts, both single-voiced and multivoiced. Twelve different contexts were used (four isolated tonal comparisons, four single-voice musical patterns, and four multivoice patterns). Listerners judged whether the timbre remained the same or changed during the trial. Two possible versions of any instrumental timbre differed in the physical information used in their synthesis. Three instrumental timbres were tested in all contexts: clarinet, trumpet, and bassoon. The effects of context upon discrimination varied across instruments. The clarinet and trumpet versions were best discriminated in isolated contexts, with discrimination progressively worse in single-voice and multivoice patterns. The bassoon versions were best discriminated in the single-voice patterns, with equal discrimination in the isolated and multivoice cases. It is suggested that these results were due to pronounced physical differences observed between the spectra of the two versions of the bassoon that were not apparent between the versions of the clarinet or trumpet.


Model study of Zwicker's "masking period patterns". Zwicker has demonstrated that the threshold for a high-frequency test-tone burst in the presence of a continuous low-frequency masking tone is a complicated function of the frequency and intensity of the masker and the phase of the masker at which the test tone is presented. "Masking period patterns" measured for these stimuli show nonlinear effects in that a high masker levels the threshold of test-tone bursts reaches local maxima at two different phases of the masker. We have investigated the implications of these psychophysical data on a computational model for motion of the basilar membrane. The model consists of a nonlinear mechanical system followed by an additional stage of frequency selectivity ("second filter"). The output of the model is applied as input to a threshold-level detector. With this model it is possible to reproduce the effects Zwicker observed. Masking period patterns are interpreted as a manifestation of two-tone suppression. On the basis of our computer simulation of Zwicker's psychophysical data, we make the following specific predictions concerning the nature of mechanical to neural transduction at the auditory periphery: (1) Membrane motion in one direction produces a nonlinear increase in the loss term, while membrane motion in the other direction does not. (2) The direction of membrane motion that produces increased loss is also the direction of motion that produces neural excitation. (3) There is a stage of sharpening, a "second filter," between membrane motion and the neural excitatory signal.


Strength of the pitches associated with ripple noise. A discrimination procedure was used to measure the pitch strength of the repetition pitches associated with comb-filtered or ripple noise. Pitch strength was measured as a function of overall ripple noise level, the repetition pitch of the noise, and as a function of the center frequency of 1/3-octave bandpass filtered noise. In addition, other experiments were conducted to help determine which parameters should be used in measuring pitch strength when the discrimination procedure is employed. Pitch strength was strongest for pitches of approximately 500 Hz. The stimuli had essentially no pitch strength for pitches below 50 and above 2000 Hz. The strongest pitches were obtained when 1/3-octave filters were placed in a frequency region cented at four times the repetition pitch. Filtering at other center frequencies resulted in a large decrease in pitch strength. These results are consistent with assumptions concerning the dominant region for pitch perception of complex stimuli. The results are also discussed in terms of processing information from reflected sound sources.


Phase locking in monaural and binaural medullary neurons: implications for binaural phenomena. The synchrony of neural impulses in response to low-frequency sinusoids is described for auditory medullary neurons. The results are summarized as follows: (1) In general, neural synchrony is found to improve with increases in intensity and frequency of stimulation for both monaural and binaural neurons when measurements are make in absolute time. (2) An analysis of our population of neurons implies that two separate mechanisms are responsible for the decrease in synchrony found in many neurons as compared to primarylike neurons with high-locking ability. The two mechanisms are convergence of mistimed impulses and electrontonic changes which occur in dendrites. (3) An analysis of binaural vector strength data provides an explanation for physiological differences between cyclic and noncyclic vector strengths as a function of interaural time and reveals the effects of mistimed convergence upon neural synchrony.(4) In contrast to the inferior colliculus, where the neurons discharge best with contralateral leads in time, superior olivary neurons exhibited no such preference. Some discharge best to ipsilateral while others to contralateral leads. This comparison reveals a striking difference in the coding characteristics of medullary and inferior colliculus neurons. (5) Finally, the results are compared with the psychophysically determined difference limens.


Low-frequency neural and cochlear-microphonic tuning curves in the gerbil. Average tuning curves of single auditory-nerve fibers are compared with average cochlear-microphonic (CM) tuning curves corrected for electrical filtering of the cochlea. Both the neural and CM data were obtained from Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) with the same acoustic system and similar corrections for middle-ear effects. Under these conditions the CM tuning in the second and third cochlear turns is similar to the tuning of fibers whose characteristic frequencies (CFs) correspond to the CM best frequencies (2.5 and 0.5 dHz). Thus, little sharpening seems to take place for low CF fibers. CM tuning at the most apical electrode position is sharper than expected for frequencies below the best frequency--a result that may be due to the shunting effect of the helicotrema at low frequencies- Previous modeling results have confirmed that apical basilar-membrane tuning may be appreciable affected by the mechanical impedance of the helicotrema. This helicotrema effect may account for the nearly symmetrical shapes of neural tuning curves of low-CF fibers.


A new approach to the guinea pig auditory nerve. A new approach to the guinea pig auditory nerve is presented. This approach, which has several advantages over previous methods, enables stable recordings from primary nerve fibers to be make. Entry to the auditory nerve is through the modiolus via scala tympani of the basal turn of the cochlea.


Intensity perception. IX. Effect of a fixed standard on resolution in identification. This note reports some measurements of the changes in identification performance that result form presenting a fixed standard before each trial. These measurements indicate that the presence of the standard improves performance for test stimuli in the vicinity of the standard, except when the standard is near the extremes of the stimulus range.


Two determinants of localization acuity in the horizontal plane. An attempt was made to extend the auditory localization model of Searle, Braida, Davis, and Colburn [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 60, 1164-1175 (1976)] to regions beyond the fontal horizontal plane. On the basis of two experiments, it appears that the assumption of acuity independent of angle is not valid for these more extensive regions, although the distribution of error magnitude can be accounted for by a span-specific unitary acuity. However, the assertion by the same authors that acuity is partially determined by the angular size of the speaker span was substantiated by direct experimental test. The results confirm the initial suggestion of Searle et al. that a complete account of the sound localization process must include both span and angular dependencies of acuity, and indicate average error to be a promising measurement technique in resolving this particular problem.


Ultrasound velocity in major bovine blood vessel walls. Data on ultrasound velocity, compressibility. and specific acoustic impedance in bovine aorta, pulmonary artery, vena cava, and myocardium are reported and analyzed based on amounts of structural proteins present in these tissues.


A three- to five-year follow-up of the use of the aerosol steroid, beclomethasone dipropionate, in childhood asthma. Nineteen asthmatic children treated with the aerosol steroid, beclomethasone dipropionate, were followed 3 to 5 yr. Good control was maintained in all but one child throughout, although 73% have needed 1 or 2 wk of supplementary oral steroids per year for exacerbations. Growth has been along the percentile on which the child entered the study. No serious side effects have been encountered among 41 children treated between 1 and 5 yr with beclomethasone dipropionate. Seventeen percent needed prolonged alternate-day oral steroids, although all but one child did eventually return to good control with beclomethasone dipropionate.


The effects of acute corticosteroid therapy for asthma on serum immunoglobulin levels. Immunoglobulin levels were followed in 21 nonsteroid-dependent asthmatics who required corticosteroids for an exacerbation of asthma. Twenty subjects who did not receive corticosteroids were used as controls. Baseline IgM and IgE levels were significantly higher in the corticosteroid-treated group. A fall in IgG level, maximal at 2 to 4 wk, was observed in the corticosteroid group, but not in control patients. Similarly, a significant fall in IgA was observed only in the corticosteroid group, maximal at 6 to 8 wk. There was no significant change in IgM levels in either group. Total IgE levels increased dramatically 1 wk after institution of corticosteroids. This was followed by a decrease to baseline or below at 6 to 8 wk. Changes in specific IgE antibody titers as measured by RAST technique revealed similar changes to those seen with total IgE. The results of the study indicate that asthma therapy with short-term corticosteroids can be associated with prolonged depressions of serum IgG, IgA levels and transient elevations of IgE levels, without apparent alterations of IgM levels.


Pathology of centenarians. III. Osseous system, malignant lesions, and causes of death. This third autopsy study of 23 centenarians (7 men and 16 women) included the pathologic examination of bone, the detection of malignant neoplasms, and the determination of the main and contributory causes of death. (Previous studies concerned the lungs and the cardiovascular, urogenital and digestive systems). The vertebral bone specimens showed definite osteoporosis in 14 of the 23 subjects. In some cases it was associated with kyphosis or scoliosis of the spine or a history of femoral fracture. Eight malignant neoplasms were observed in six patients. Prostatic cancers were found in three of the seven men. All the cancers were well differentiated structurally. Four latent cancers were detected at autopsy. Most of these centenarians died of bronchopneumonia or myocardial fibrosis. Death from a malignant neoplasm was uncommon, and usually the cancer was only a contributory cause. The importance of atherosclerosis prevention is stressed by the fact that atherosclerosis was the basic cause of the cardiovascular lesions that constituted a main cause of death.


Relative genealogic incidence of certain "civilization diseases" in a geriatric population versus pregeriatric groups. In a prevalence epidemiologic study conducted in a characteristic submontane area in North Bohemia, the genealogic incidence of myocardial infarction, sudden brain vascular episodes, and malignant tumors was studied in a representative sample of persons aged 70 to 105 years. The incidence was then compared with that in two other samples: 1) men under age 40 with a history of transmural myocardial infarction, and 2) both men and women aged 40--60 who had a stroke. The statistical evaluation was performed according to accepted international criteria (WHO). A significantly lower genealogic incidence of myocardial infarction and sudden brain vascular episodes was found in the geriatric subjects (70--105 years old) who had symptoms of so-called physiologic aging, as compared with the incidence in the younger subjects who had symptoms of so-called pathologic aging. The difference was less clear-cut with respect to the genealogic incidence of malignant tumors.


Age-dependent disposition of amobarbital: analog computer evaluation. Previously published observations on 4-hour and 24-hour amobarbital blood levels in two groups of subjects (ages 20--40 and over-65) were analyzed with use of an analog computer and literature data for the rate constants of absorption, distribution and metabolism. It was found that the volume of distribution did not change with age, and the increase in biologic half-life from 22.8 hours in the young subjects to 86.62 in the elderly subjects was due to a decreased rate of metabolism. When the one-point method is used, the size of the nightly dose of amobarbital should be reduced in elderly subjects from 200 mg to 50 mg in order to maintain the same steady-state blood levels found in younger subjects.


Leisure satisfaction and psychologic well-being in old age: effects of health and income. From a study (probability sampling methods) of the response of 74 older adults residing in a high-rise pbulic housing complex, it was concluded that the association between leisure satisfaction and psychologic well-being is substantial and seems relatively unaffected by self-rated levels of health and income.


The black aged: a strategy for future mental health services. The younger generation of today will become the elderly of tomorrow. The qualitative differences in life experiences of blacks versus whites lead to differences in the manifestations of emotional problems. Thus the need for a special psychiatric strategy for aged blacks in the future. The problems of blacks, regardless of age, are inextricably linked with beliefs regarding illness, health and institutionalized racism. The many psychiatric ghettoes stemming from the depopulation of mental hospitals reflect poor planning and an obvious disregard for the realities of the whole life situations of elderly blacks. There should be an end to living in squalor and being the victims of muggings, rape and all forms of exploitation. Psychiatry should step forward with some careful and significant plans.


Hypochondriasis in an institutional geriatric population: construction of a scale (HSIG). The staffs at three extended care facilities identified a group of 10 hypochondriacal patients. The research team asked these 10 patients and 59 controls, 27 questions relating to health attitudes and behaviors. Six items were found to be fairly useful in distinguishing hypochondriacal from non-hypochondriacal subjects. These six items were taken as the Hypochondriasis Scale for Institutional Geriatric Patients (HSIG), and each patient scored on the basis of his responses to these six items. This test proved to be one way of distinguishing between hypochondriacal and non-hypochondriacal groups (P less than .005). However, because of the possibility of false positive results, the scale should be used only to confirm staff suspicions of hyponchondriasis and should not be used as part of the clinical intake procedure.


A high pressure liquid chromatographic method for the quantitation of sub-microgram amounts of zearalenone (F-2) in agricultural products. A highly sensitive and reliable method for the quantitation of sub-microgram quantitaties of zearalenone (F-2) residues in corn, corn oil and mixed feed is described. The isolation of this mycotoxin from a mixed solvent extract involves partitioning of the alkali soluble components from a chloroform solution, followed by acidification and extraction of organic components into chloroform, a silica gel column clean-up and analysis by high pressure liquid chromatography using a ultraviolet (UV) detector at 280 nm. The limit of detection of the instrument is shown to be 2.5 ng and that of the method is 100 ppb. The percent recoveries of zearalenone in corn is found to be 72.1 +/- 6.0 at the levels between 0.1 and 1.0 ppm, in corn oil 72.6 +/- 8.8 at levels 0.25 and 1.0 ppm and in pig starter 67.3 +/- 4.5 at 1.0 ppm level. In the case of two field samples, the reproducibility of analysis is very good and the mycotoxin contents are shown to be 11.5 +/- 0.26 and 0.61 +/- 0.07 ppm.


Penetration of soil dust through woven and nonwoven fabrics. Several types of fabrics were laboratory-tested for their effectiveness in workers protection to pesticide-laden dust encountered in the agricultural environment. Of the applied less than 100 mesh dust, penetrations through knitted jersey and woven fabrics were greater than 87% and less than 5.8%, respectively. Treatment of woven fabrics with fluorocarbon polymers curtailed penetration by greater than 60%. Nonwoven fabrics allowed less than 0.5% dust penetration. Parathion mixed with 100-mesh sieved dust resulted in increasing "ppm" levels with decreasing particle size; extent of parathion conversion to paraoxon was independent of particle size for the sandy loam dust used.


Isolation and identification of 1,3,5-trichloro-2-(4-nitrophenoxy)benzene (CNP) in shellfish. 1,3,5-trichloro-2-(4-nitrophenoxy)benzene (CNP), a widely used herbicide in Japan, has been identified in environmental biota for the first time. CNP was isolated from mussel collected in Tokyo bay and confirmed by GC-MS, IR and UV spectra. The level of CNP in the mussel sample was approximately 1 ppm on wet basis.


[Contraception before pregnancy. Evolution between 1972 and 1975 in the Rhone-Alpes region (author's transl)]. The studies was made from two enquiries carried out on women who delivered in June 1972 and 1975 in the Rhone-Alpes region. Contraception therefore dealt exclusively with birth control before a pregnancy. It is clear that contraception has developed significantly: it is practised by 48% of women who were questioned in 1975 as compared with 41% in 1972. There is also a change in the last method used between the two dates: the pill featured in only 17% of all the method used in 1972 and 45% in 1975: on the other hand coitus interruptus went down from 41% to 21%. The spread of the use of the pill is a generalised phenomenon whereas there are several categories of women who do not seem to have used, coitus interruptus less frequently. As far as the social classes are concerned, it is to be pointed out that only non-skilled working-class people have not changed their habits as far as these two methods are concerned. Contraception is practised with more and more success as a method of birth control: on the one hand the number of conceptions which occurred when the women was using a birth control method has gone down from 27% in 1972 to 15% in 1975: on the other hand 51% of those who used a birth control method stopped using it in order to have a baby, whereas in 1972 only 32% did so. Parallel with this evolution, one can point out that the number of women who have 2 or more children has gone down. On the other hand the number of conceptions before marriage and the rhythm of the way the families are constituted has not changed between the two dates.


[Maternal mortality at the Charles Nicolle Hospital Maternity Department in Tunis between 1972 and 1975. With the exclusion of abortions (author's transl)]. The change in maternal mortality during the time of pregnancy, labour and the puerperium is similar in our department to that reported in many countries. The overall figure for maternal mortality between 1972 and 1975 is 0.54 per 1000 (54 per 100,000 deliveries. This is a halving of numbers as compared with our previous statistics. This improvement can be ascribed to several factors, which are increased in number and quality of medical and para-medical personnel, and the better environmental factors of the inhabitants of the region. On the other hand if mortality is looked at in relationship to aetiology, there has been no change in the order of the causes, which are principally haemorrhage and eclampsia. The former is avoidable in most cases by better prevention and blood replacement, which has to be fought for. The second, in spite of the drop of 50%, remains very worrying. Improvement in the prognosis for the mother depends on measures that are taken such as better equipment of maternity departments and informing and educating pregnant women.


[Sclerosing tumour of the ovarian stroma. A case history (author's transl)]. An anatomo-clinical presentation of a benign sclerosing tumour of the ovarian stroma brings the number of such cases reported, as far as we can tell, in the literature to 13. Removal of this tumour from a woman of 26 years of age rapidly solved the problem of her sterility. The patient is in good health more than 6 years after the operation. From the histopathological point of view the tumour is characterised especially by a tissue arranged in intensely vasculaised lobules, which are rich in ballooned-but cells filled with lipids and followed by sclerosis.


[The activity of urinary cystine-aminopeptidase in normal pregnancy (author's transl)]. Knowing that examining the levels of aminopeptidases in the serum of pregnant women can give us information about normal feto-placental function, we have tried to see if testing for these enzymes in urine of women with normal pregnancies could lead us to a more adequate and easy screening for fetal distress. With this end in view we examined the activity of urinary cystine aminopeptidase (CAP) in a group of 60 pregnant women at different stages of normal pregnancies. This activity was determined on 24 hour specimens of urine collected at different times in pregnancy and the results showed that there were variations from one week to another. As compared with activity in serum in normal pregnancies, urinary activity of this enzyme is raised in the first trimester of the pregnancy and lowered in the last trimester. The explanation of other authors about the possibility of these enzymes with high molecular weights passing into the urine is discussed. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common in pregnancy, and so it can explain how CAP is excreted in the urine. But this hypothesis has still to be studied and proven.


[Placental blood flow measured using xenon 133 (author's transl)]. The authors have developed a method of measuring placental blood flow using intravenous injection of Xenon 133, the method being derived from that described by Rekonen. The technique is reliable and without any danger. The measurements were taken in the last 4 weeks of 25 normal pregnancies and 12 where intra-uterine growth was retarded. The placental blood flow is 92.02 +/- 16.34 ml s100 ml per minute in normal pregnancies at the end of which infants with a weight above or equal to the 10th percentile were born (the mean percentile was 46.69 +/- 25.36). The placental blood flow was 52.29 +/- 17.31 ml/100 ml per minute in cases with retarded intra-uterine growth where the infants were lighter than the 10th percentile (mean percentile 5.08 +/- 1.83). The difference between the two groups is highly significant (p less than 0.001).


Ultrastructural localization of nonheme celluar iron with ferrocyanide. The Prussian blue reaction was evaluated at the ultrastructural level as a cytochemical method to identify ferric and ferrous iron in rat bone marrow and splenic macrophages. Satisfactory tissue preservation and staining were achieved after fixation for 1 hr in 3% glutaraldehyde and exposure for 30 min to Perls's ferrocyanide solution before routine osmication and embedding. The acid ferrocyanide solution formed cuboidal and irregular electron-opaque deposits which localized ferric iron in the macrophage siderosomes and hyaloplasm. When thin sections were directly stained with the acid ferrocyanide, the stain deposits were much less distinct. The size and number of cytes exhibited sparse evenly distributed stain deposits. Several cells displayed abundant precipitates on the inner surface of the plasmalemma. Prussian blue precipitates were occasionally seen in mitochondria and nuclear euchromatin. Although osmium tetroxide post-fixation improved tissue preservation, it did not enhance the density of the ferri-ferrocyanide precipitate. The ferrocyanide solution yielded cuboidal deposits also in clots impregnated with ferritin, and electron diffraction analysis confirmed the symmetrical crystal structure of these stain precipitates. Smaller irregular precipitates were formed in clots impregnated with FeCl3, or Fe2 (SO4)3 solutions, despite the equally interpreted as indicating that the iron hydroxide core or protein structure of ferritin and hemosiderin contributed to the formation of the ultrastructurally evident cuboidal precipitates, but were not necessary for the formation of a colored reaction product. The acid ferrocyanide solution failed to stain clots formed in FeCI2, CuCI2 or CuCI solutions. Staining with a ferricyanide solution identified only sparse foci of ferrous iron in some siderosomes. This study demonstrates that the Prussian blue reaction can be used ultrastructurally to localize iron cations bound to some nonheme iron binding proteins.


[The antepartum oxytocin fetal assessment challenge test 1,827 case histories. Significance of "prepathological testing". "Results" (author's transl)]. We carried out the Oxytocin Challenge Test (or OCT as American authors call it) by injecting 5 m.U. per minute into pregnant women who are suspect of having high fetal risk from the 34th week of pregnancy onwards. The material that we have examined is from 1,366 cases with 1,827 tests. The perinatal mortality over all was 13.17 per thousand of the cases. We have described three types of response: normal (87.44%), pre-pathological (7.77%) and pathological (6.78%). We have concluded that the test has a good prognostic value and point out the significance of the pre-pathological results, which we think have up till now not been accorded sufficient attention.


The alpha-glucan-uridine diphosphate glucosyltransferase reation for the identification of glycogen-depleted muscle fibers. This paper decribes the use of the alpha-glucan uridine di-phosphate glucosyl transferase reaction for enhancing the contrast between glycogen depleted and non-depleted muscle fibers in the periodic acid schiff (PAS) reaction. Muscle fiber glycogen was depleted by prolonged repetitive stimulation of single motor units of the extensor digitorum longus muscle from the rat.


A photographic technique to increase image contrast in photomicrographs. The photographic technique described in this report enables investigators to emphasize image details in low contrast photographs, resulting from under exposure, poor development or low contrast subject matter. The technique is easily carried out in nearly any darkroom facility and is less costly and faster than the more sophisticated methods available today.


[A case associating an atypical Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome, an Turner-like dysmorphia with normal karyotype (Ullrich-Nooman syndrome) (author's transl)]. Full description of the case is given first: an atypical Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (with absence of both fallopian tubes) is associated with Turner-like dysmorphia (including a Klippel-Feil syndrome), karyotype being normal. The Turner-like dysmorphia of the reported case perfectly fits into a syndrome described by Nora in 1974; this Ullrich-Noonan syndrome helps simplifying the classification of Turner syndromes and related syndromes: transmission is autosomal dominant in most cases.


[Uterine ruptures. The experience of 64 cases in Africa (author's transl)]. Having seen a series of 64 ruptures of the uterus, the author has analysed the reasons for the relative frequency of this dreaded complication in Black Africa (10% or patients had Caesarean sections in the same period. Inadequate medical attention and obstetrical superivision and dehiscence of the uterus because of the still frequently practised procedure of hysterotomy through the uterine body seem to be the principal factors responsible for these ruptures, which still cause heavy mortality (fetal 93%. maternal 17%).