Neuropsychology in alcoholic men in their late thirties: one-year follow-up

In a previous article the authors reported on two groups of alcoholic men in their late 30s who were remarkably free of neuropsychological impairment. In this article they present the results of a 1-year follow-up of many of these subjects. They found similarities in performance between alcoholic subjects who in the original study had been abstinent for 18 months and nonalcoholic control subjects who drank moderately. However, the group of alcoholic men who in the original study had been recently detoxified (about 3 weeks) failed to show practice-effect learning on follow-up. The authors interpret this failure as possibly indicative of a preclinical phase of what might ultimately become organic impairment.

The clinical use of epididymal aspiration cultures in the management of selected patients with acute epididymitis

Culture and sensitivity testing of specimens obtained by percutaneous and intraoperative needle aspiration of the epididymis have been of clinical importance in choosing proper antimicrobial therapy in selected patients with acute non-venereal epididymitis. We have found aspiration cultures to be valuable in patients 1) with indwelling urethral catheters, 2) who fail to respond to initial antimicrobial therapy, 3) who have epididymitis found on surgical exploration for torsion of the teticle and 4) with recurrent epididymitis in whom the etiologic agent is uncertain.

Normal neuropsychological abilities of alcoholic men in their late thirties

The neuropsychological performance of alcoholic men in their late 30s (mean age, 37 years), some of whom has been abstinent for 3 weeks and others for 18 months, was compared with that of a group of men who drank occasionally. There were no differences between the alcoholic groups and the comparison group that could not be attributed to normal aging. The number of years of alcoholism or estimated lifetime alcohol use, dietary adequacy, and medical or blackout history did not relate to neuropsychological impairment. The authors suggest that a simple "dose-effect" relationship between alcohol use and cognitive decline cannot be assumed.

Properties and biosynthesis of cyclopropane fatty acids in Escherichia coli

The lipid phase transition of Escherichia coli phospholipids containing cyclopropane fatty acids was compared with the otherwise homologous phospholipids lacking cyclopropane fatty acids. The phase transitions (determined by scanning calorimetry) of the two preparations were essentially identical. Infection of E. coli with phage T3 inhibited cyclopropane fatty acid formation over 98%, whereas infection with mutants which lack the phage coded S-adenosylmethionine cleavage enzyme had no effect on cyclopropane fatty acid synthesis. These data indicate that S-adenosylmethionine is the methylene in cyclopropane fatty acid synthesis.

Deficits in psychologic and classroom performance of children with elevated dentine lead levels

To measure the neuropsychologic effects of unidentified childhood exposure to lead, the performance of 58 children with high and 100 with low dentine lead levels was compared. Children with lead levels scored significantly less well on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) than those with low lead levels. This difference was also apparent on verbal subtests, on three other measures of auditory or speech processing and on a measure of attention. Analysis of variance showed that none of these differences could be explained by any of the 39 other variables studied. Also evaluated by a teachers' questionnaire was the classroom behavior of all children (2146 in number) whose teeth were analyzed. The frequency of non-adaptive classroom behavior increased in a dose-related fashion to dentine lead level. Lead exposure, at doses below those producing symptoms severe enough to be diagnosed clinically, appears to be associated with neuropsychologic deficits that may interfere with classroom performance.

Is phencyclidine (PCP) abuse associated with organic mental impairment?

The performance of sober (average length of abstinence = 27 months) phencyclidine (PCP) abusers on neuropsychological measures of organicity was compared to that of polydrug users who were not experienced with PCP, and to controls who were not alcohol or drug abusers. Six of 12 PCP users, five of 12 polydrug users, and none of the controls showed neuropsychological impairments. The deficits in PCP users occurred despite negative medical-neurological history, and even though the PCP group abused other drugs previously associated with neuropsychological impairment less than the polydrug group. Deficiencies in abstracting and in perceptual-motor integrative abilities were noted. The results suggest the possibility that PCP abuse might be associated with neuropsychological disturbance which persists for considerable time after PCP use ceases.

Organic impairment in polydrug users: risk factors

In a national collaborative study to assess the neuropsychological status of 151 polydrug users, the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery showed deficits in 37% two to three weeks after they entered treatment and in 34% at three-month follow-up. Comparative rates for a group of psychiatric patients were 26% and 27%, and for nonpatients, 8% and 4%. Extensive and intensive use of CNS depressants and opiates correlated positively with neuropsychological deficit. Older, less-educated subjects with adverse medical or developmental histories were more likely to show polydrug-related organic impairment. Although there is some evidence that such impairment is reversible, the condition appears to be of at least intermediate duration and may be long lasting.

Bone apposition rate as an index of bone metabolism

The rate of bone apposition was studied by labeling bone with four or five sequential doses of oxytetracycline given at equal intervals of 2 or 4 days in rats and rabbits. The rate was estimated in bone formation sites bearing all the doses. This method has the advantage of assessing the rate of new bone mineralization during the active bone-forming phase only. This index of bone formation was found to be independent of the location of bone samples in the skeleton, and therefore might be under the influence of general body mechanisms only. Preliminary study in the rats indeed yielded results indicating that this bone apposition rate is accelerated by dietary deficiency in calcium.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy in combination with DTIC (NSC-45388) for the treatment of malignant melanoma

Combination studies of immunotherapy and DTIC chemotherapy for patients with malignant melanoma are described. At our institute the combination of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) with DTIC, or DTIC plus methyl-CCNU, has resulted in augmentation of remissions in areas regional to BCG immunization, prolongation of chemotherapy-induced remissions, and significant prolongation of survival compared to the use of DTIC chemotherapy without immunotherapy. Data from other centers have shown that augmentation of remissions for melanoma patients occurred when BCG was combined with DTIC, vincristine, and allogeneic tumor cells. Finally, another study has shown that DTIC combined with BCG has prolonged the disease-free interval and survival in melanoma patients with regional lymph node metastases. The potential inhibition of DTIC metabolism by BCG or Corynebacterium parvum is discussed.

Comparative analysis of the cytotoxicity of substituted (phenylglyoxal bis(4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone)) copper (II) chelates

Seven para-substituted [phenylglyoxal bis(4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone)]copper (II) chelates (12-18) have been designed, synthesized, and tested for their ability to inhibit the respiration of rat liver slices as a normal cell model and Ehrlich ascites cells as a tumor cell model. Relationships between chemical structure and respiratory inhibition are described on a quantitative basis using substituent contants (pi, Es, and sigmap) by computerized multiparameter regression analyses. The correlations indicate that changes in Es have the largest effect on liver slice toxicity of chelates while pi and sigmap account for most of the variation in toxicity to ascites cells. A comparative analysis strongly suggests that electron-donating substituents with greater water solubility should increase cytotoxicity to ascites cells at the expense of cytotoxicity to the rat liver cells. The predictions of the equations were checked by synthesizing and testing an additional derivative. The results strengthen the initial predictions.

Bone growth kinetics IV: a preliminary investigation on a biorhythm in human osteogenesis

Multiple doses of oxytetracycline were administered at regular but different intervals to groups of patients undergoin orthopaedic surgery. It was found that doses of the drug were incorporated at bone growth sites most frequently if the intervals between those doses were 3 or 6 days. This suggests a biorhythm in human bone growth with a periodicity of 3 days: this biorhythm may be altered by hormones or drugs.

Reduction of test anxiety via autogenic therapy

To evaluate the role of active and passive instructions to Ss given abbreviated training with Schultz and Luthe's six exercises, 18 Ss completed the test anxiety questionnaire and the Wonderlic Personnel Test. Analyses of repeated (two) measures showed treatment decreased test anxiety scores somewhat more for active Ss; 78% of Ss reported high relaxation was achieved and improved performance.