Correlation of clinical and histopathological studies in classification of leprosy

This paper presents a study of 100 cases of leprosy of different clinical types. These 100 cases included 26 TT, 3 BT, 7 BB, 2 BL and 62 LL. All were subjected to skin biopsy and were classified on the basis of histopathological changes. It was observed that there was some disagreement in clinical and histopathological classification. Thus histopathologically there were 20 TT, 9 BT, 7 BB, 6 BL and 58 LL. It appears that skin biopsy may be studied in all cases of leprosy. A combination of clinical features and histological changes in skin biopsy may help in better classification of leprosy.

Cobalt and plant development: interactions with ethylene in hypocotyl growth

Co(2+) promoted elongation of hypocotyl segments of light-grown cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seedlings. Time course and dose response data are presented and interactions with IAA, gibberellin, cyclohexanol, and cotyledons described. Segments without cotyledons responded to Co(2+) only if grown in gas-tight vessels with IAA added. When bases of cotyledons were ringed with an inhibitor of auxin transport, Co(2+) caused no growth promotion in the hypocotyl. Co(2+) prevented lateral swelling of hypocotyls treated with supraoptimal IAA. Removal of ethylene from the atmosphere reduced the Co(2+) response, but Co(2+) did not counteract the inhibitory effect of increased ethylene levels. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Co(2+) promotes hypocotyl elongation by inhibiting ethylene production. The hypothesis was confirmed by a direct demonstration that Co(2+), at growth-promoting concentrations, powerfully inhibited ethylene production in the cucumber hypocotyl.