Correlations of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and Slosson Intelligence Test for a group of learning disabled students

This study compared scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and Slosson intelligence test for 64 students (45 boys, 19 girls) who ranged in age from 7–3 to 13–2. Mean IQ on the Peabody was significantly higher than the mean IQ on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised and on the Slosson. The mean IQs were 95.0 for the Peabody, 89 0 for the Slosson, and 87.8 for the Wechsler Full Scale, with standard deviations of 12.3, 11.7, and 7.0, respectively. Highest correlations of IQs were between Verbal Scale of the Wechsler and the Slosson (.81) and between the Verbal and Performance Scales of the WISC-R (.73).

Cervical cancer cell lines containing herpesvirus markers

Five epithelioid cell lines were established from invasive cervical carcinoma tissue and were examined for herpes simplex virus (HSV) antigens or virus-induced changes. Immunofluorescence studies with antiserum to an HSV type 2 nonstructural polypeptide detected perinuclear antigens. In these cell lines, concentrations of a membrane fucopeptide that is regularly present in normal cells were reduced to levels similar to those previously observed in virus-transformed cells. One of the cell lines inoculated into athymic mice produced tumors.

Alcoholism and ethnicity: a comparative study of alcohol use patterns across ethnic groups

Sociological and alcohol use patterns were studied in American Indian, Black, Hispano, and White Anglo groups of alcoholism patients. Sociological variables indicated all groups appeared to be experiencing significant disruption in social and vocational areas, with the American Indian group showing the greatest disruption across the four groups in the socioeconomic areas. The four groups did not differ as to use of alcohol to enhance self, manage anxiety and depression, or as to sustained or periodic use. American Indians and Hispanos have a greater tendency to drink gregariously, to drink more, and to have more disruption in social role functioning. The general trend was that the American Indian group revealed greater social and alcohol symptom disruption than the other three groups, thus supporting a more specialized treatment approach for American Indian alcoholism patients.

Association of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with cervical cancer: isolation of CMV from cell cultures derived from cervical biopsy

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was isolated from cell cultures derived from 2 of 10 cervical cancer biopsies from patients in an advanced stage of the disease. Five serial passages were necessary before extensive cytopathic changes characteristic of CMV infection appeared. All patients tested had complement-fixing antibodies to both isolates in higher titers than to the prototype AD169 strain. 6 of 8 patients tested also had herpesvirus type 2 antibodies.

Genetic toxicology of bleomycin

Bleomycin (BLM), an antibiotic obtained from Streptomyces verticillus, is of significance as an antineoplastic agent. The compound is actually the mixture of some 200 related forms which differ from each other in the amine moiety. The drug, at low concentrations, can cause elimination of bases, particularly thymine. This causes strand breakage of DNA and inhibition of cell growth. The influence of BLM on cell growth may be unrelated to the effects on DNA. In general, mitotically dividing cells show more DNA damage than non-dividing cells. G2 seems to be the most sensitive phase indicating that cell death may not be related to a direct effect of BLM on DNA replication. The antibiotic shows specific effects on chromatin and causes chromosomal damage in all sub-phases of interphase. It can affect early prophase chromosomes also. Suggestion has been made that BLM-induced breakage and cell death are similar to those induced by densely ionizing radiations. Whereas the antibiotic affects the frequency of somatic crossing over and produces micronuclei, the data on mutation induction and production of sister-chromatid exchanges do not permit classifying BLM as a potent inducer of these phenomena. The genetic effects of BLM can be modified quantitatively by thiol compounds, caffeine, hyperthermia and H2O2. It is concluded that the available data do not permit assessment of genetic damage in the offsprings of BLM-treated patients. Such studies are urgently needed, as are the studies to find out the effects of BLM on meiotic phenomena.

Chest treatment of the head injured patient requiring Intermittent Positive Pressure Ventilation (I.P.P.V.)

Van die pasiente met hoofbeserings wat gedurende 1975 in Groote Schuur-hospitaal toegelaat is, het ongeveer16% endotrageale buise of ’n trageostomie benodig en 45% van die pasiente met trageostomies het intermittende positiewe druk-ventilasie benodig.Dit blyk dus wenslik, selfs essensieel, te wees dat die fisioterapeut wat in ’n neurochirursiese eenheid werk, veral as dit ook ’n intensiewe sorgeenheid het, haar moet bekwaam sover doeltreffende respiratoriese fisioterapie aanbetref. Die fisioterapie-prosedures word bespreek.

Chronic, inhalation exposure of rats, rabbits, and monkeys to 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene

Three groups composed of rats, rabbits, and monkeys were exposed for 26 weeks to 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (-TCB), and one group of each species was used as a control group. The nominal exposure concentrations of 1,2,4-TCB were 25.0, 50.0, and 100.0 ppm. Pulmonary function and operant behavior tests in monkeys, ophthalmoscopic examinations in rabbits and monkeys, and measurement of body weights and hematologic and serum biochemical determinations in all species were conducted before and during the exposure period. At termination of 1, 3, and 6 months of exposure, microscopic examination of selected rat tissues was performed. Microscopic changes were seen in the parenchymal of livers and kidneys from all groups of rats exposed to 1,2,4-TCB when sacrificed after 4 and 13 weeks of exposure, but no exposure-related abnormalities or other effects were seen after 26 weeks of exposure in any species.

Anemia--a common but never a normal concomitant of aging

Diagnosis is often overlooked because symptoms develop slowly and insidiously and many patients don't complain about them. Then too, the giddiness, apathy, confusion, clumsiness, and similar problems may be considered simply signs of "old age." Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type in old people. It's usually due to gastrointestinal bleeding, but there may be a second, less obvious cause. The classic picture of low serum iron, high total iron-binding capacity, and low iron-binding saturation is sometimes distorted. Usually, many studies are needed to confirm the suspicion of a vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency. A raised mean corpuscular volume in itself signals the need for further investigation. In patients with macrocytosis, the bone marrow must be examined. Tests for intestinal malabsorption must be considered too. Repeated blood tests are essential in patients being treated for any type of anemia. Iron deficiency may hide evidence of folate or B12 deficiency. And iron therapy may lessen bleeding from colonic cancer, delaying diagnosis until it's too late to operate.

Roentgenogram of the month: pelvic calcifications

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Congenital upper eyelid retraction

This report describes a six-year-old boy born with a unilateral upper eyelid retraction resulting in mild exposure keratopathy. The fissure on that side was 4 millimeters larger and lagophthalmos was present. At the time of levator recession surgery, the muscle was found to have a restriction at the medial and lateral horns preventing downward excursion. This condition has some of the features of congenital orbital fibrosis and is postulated to have been due to an intrauterine infection or inflammation.

A comparison of the effectiveness of primidone versus carbamazepine in epileptic outpatients

Prior to the release of carbamazepine for the treatment of patients with psychomotor and grand mal seizures, primidone was regarded as the drug of choice for these disorders, especially when combined with diphenylhydantoin (DPH). It was, therefore, of interest to compare the effectiveness of carbamazepine against primidone when added to a therapeutic dose of DPH. Forty-five patients completed a 6-month study with each patient serving as his own control. The patients were initially stabilized on therapeutic doses of DPH and one of the test compounds, while all other medications were withdrawn. After 3 months of treatment, they were transferred onto the other drug for a second 3-month period. Extensive laboratory testing, including anticonvulsant levels, electroencephalograms, and neuropsychological evaluations, was performed. For the most part, the patients remained on outpatient status, returning for reports of seizure frequency, side effects, and laboratory studies every 14 days. The study was conducted in a single blind fashion by the treating neurologists; double blind by the electroencephalographer and psychologists. The results indicated that the two drugs did not differ in their effectiveness on seizure control. There were somewhat more side effects--none serious--with carbamazepine than with primidone. The EEG showed increased fast activity with primidone and increased theta activity with carbamazepine. There was no difference in regard to decrease of electroencephalographic seizure discharges. The patients showed more impairment on a repeatable neuropsychological test battery with primidone than with carbamazepine, and they also showed an increase on the psychopathic deviate scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory. Depressive feelings, when present, lessened while under treatment with carbamazepine. The results suggest that patients with the seizure types under consideration and who do not respond to DPH alone or to a DPH-phenobarbital combination can be placed on either carbamazepine or primidone while phenobarbital is discontinued. A patient who is intellectually and emotionally intact with no past history of behavioral disturbances may do better on primidone than carbamazepine, because this drug gives fewer side effects. On the other hand, those patients who have a past history of emotional and/or intellectual disturbances may profit more from carbamazepine.

Actinomyces encephalitis associated with hydrocephalus in a dog

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Infected total hip replacement after dental procedures

Three cases are reported in which there was a worrisome association between dental work and an infected total hip replacement. The patients had long asymptomatic intervals subsequent to implantation of prosthetic hip joints. After dental procedures, infections became apparent in these hips. Such infections carry an enormous and crippling morbidity. The potential complications of transient bacteremia in the patient with a cardiac valvular prosthesis are appreciated and the importance of prophylactic antibodies for dental work in such patients is well known. Although we emphasize that there is no proof that the infections in our patients were metastatic from the mouth, the sequence of events is suggestive. We recommend prophylactic antibiotics for dental work in the patient with a total hip replacement.

Neurogenic control of muscle ribosomal protein synthesis

In vitro protein synthesis of ribosomes extracted from leg muscles of 20 Sprague-Dawley rats denervated 3 and 14 days (high sciatic transections) and 10 control rats was studied. The concentration/mg protein of total ribosomes extracted from the 14-day denervated muscle showed a significant increase. Distribution of muscle polyribosomes on sucrose density gradients was normal in all cases. Noncollagen protein synthesis of the heavy polyribosomes from both early and late denervated muscles showed a significant decrease. SDS polyacrylamide gels suggested that this decrease affected the synthesis of heavy chains of myosin, while the light chains of myosin, actin and tropomyosin had normal structure and amounts. Collagen synthesis of heavy polyribosomes showed slight to moderate increase in only 50 per cent of the cases. Supplementation of ribosomes extracted from denervated muscles with normal muscle soluble enzymes increased their noncollagen synthesis by 66 per cent. This suggests that the neurogenic control of ribosomal protein synthesis is accomplished by hormonal trophic substances contained in the muscle soluble enzymes.

Evolutionary changes in the environment, population, and health affairs in Detroit, 1968-1971

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Muscle ribosomal protein synthesis in normal pregnancy: implication for carrier detection in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Muscle samples of rectus abdominis were obtained from 11 normal pregnant women 21-30 years old during elective Caesarean section and from 10 normal, non-pregnant controls of comparable age. The in-vitro amino-acid incorporation of polyribosomes extracted from the muscle homogenates of the pregnant women showed high activity for the synthesis of non-collagen protein in six cases, while control values were found in five cases. These results indicate that carrier detection in Duchenne muscular dystrophy based on increased muscle ribosomal protein synthesis cannot be done accurately during pregnancy, unless adequate values for known carriers at a comparable stage of gestation are available.

Role of verbal mediation in performance of motor tasks by Korsakoff patients

9 patients with Korsakoff's disease were examined for their ability to learn a finger maze (verbally mediated) and a pursuit-rotor (non-verbally mediated) task. Such patients (matched on IQ and age) were significantly worse than either 9 alcoholic or 9 normal control patients on the finger-maze task but were similar to both groups on the pursuit-rotor task. It was concluded that the verbal encoding deficit of Korsakoff patients can explain their difficulty in learning motor tasks involving verbal mediation.