Deprenyl in Parkinson disease

(-)Deprenyl, a specific monoamine oxidase subtype B inhibitor (MAOI-B), has been reported to be a safe and valuable adjunct to conventional treatment of parkinsonism. A double-blind, clinical comparison of (-)deprenyl with placebo was undertaken in 11 parkinsonian patients; the efficacy of 10 mg daily was studied over 4 weeks. In four cases the clinical score for parkinsonian deficits improved during deprenyl therapy, and in five it deteriorated; there was no change in one patient. Two subjects failed to complete the study. (-)Deprenyl induced euphoria and insomnia. It was concluded that any advantages deriving from the use of (-)deprenyl in parkinsonism are limited, and probably dominated by its elevation of mood. Biochemical analysis failed to reveal any significant increase in platelet or plasma catecholamine concentrations during deprenyl therapy. There was, however, a significant decrease in plasma epinephrine (p < 0.05) and platelet MAO activity (p < 0.005).

Coeliac disease and HLA: a family study

In a family study of coeliac disease, HLA types in fifty-three patients and their relatives were examined. There are no differences in HLA frequencies between child and adult patients. Comparison with a random series of normal controls shows increased frequencies in patients of HLA-A1 and B8, while the family material shows that there is also an excess of haplotype 1-8. The excess of homozygotes is thought not to be a factor in the aetiology. Intrafamilial analysis shows that only B8 is significantly associated with the disorder. It is argued that the HLA association does not indicate a 'coeliac gene' but that the B8 allele is a major gene in a polygenic system affecting the disorder.

Relationship between bacterial binding to lymphocytes and clinical features in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

In previous studies we showed that spontaneous bacterial adherence can be used to identify human lymphocyte subpopulations and to demonstrate variable binding patterns in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In this study, 10 strains of bacteria of different genera and species were used in blood smears from 24 CLL patients to determine the percentages of lymphocytes that bind bacteria. From these percentages, binding indices were calculated. The symptoms and other laboratory tests were independently recorded and the stages determined. When the two sets of data were compared, relatively low binding indices were found in symptomatic patients or in Stages III and IV; relatively high binding indices were found in asymptomatic patients or in Stages I and II. We suggest that with progression of leukemia, lymphocytes with less "lectin" recognition potential are selected and escape any control mechanism of proliferation.

Relationship between plasma, RBC, and CSF lithium concentrations in human subjects

Simultaneous measurement of plasma, RBC, and plasma lithium concentrations took place with 17 inpatients chronically treated with lithium, at various times after the last lithium dose. RBC lithium levels were significantly higher than CSF lithium levels. Specimens drawn 10 or more hours after the last dose showed higher RBC and CSF lithium and lower plasma lithium than specimens drawn 4 or less hours after the last lithium dose. None of the lithium measurements differentiated manic-depressives from schizophrenics or schizoaffectives. Plasma, RBC, and CSF lithium all intercorrelated highly and equally.

Ferritin as an index of bone marrow iron stores

We examined the relationship of serum ferritin to bone marrow iron stores in 73 anemic male medical inpatients with liver disease, alcoholism, chronic inflammatory disease, and malignancies. A correlation of r = 0.75 (P less than .00005) was found between serum ferritin and bone marrow iron stores (BMIS) for the entire group. Liver disease as manifested clinically or by increased levels of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase did not appear to significantly affect this relationship. Patients with folic acid deficiency did tend to have a disproportionate increase in ferritin in relation to BMIS, but this did not seem to destroy the usefulness of ferritin levels. A useful clinical rule seems to be that serum ferritin of greater than 100 ng/ml tends to exclude iron deficiency, and a level of less than 30 ng/ml tends to confirm decreased iron stores.

Intracellular staining reveals different levels of stratification for on- and off-center ganglion cells in cat retina

1. Ganglion cells in the retina of the cat were stained by intracellular dye injection after recording their responses to photic stimulation. 2. All cells encountered were divided into those giving on-responses and those producing off-responses, and the level of dendritic branching of these two groups was compared. Cells giving off-responses were found to branch high in the inner plexiform layer (IPL), near the amacrine cell bodies (sublamina a); those giving on-responses were found to branch lower in the inner plexiform layer (sublamina b). 3. Dye-injected cells varied widely in morphology and size, having cell bodies ranging in diameter from 8 to 32 micrometer and dendritic fields ranging from 25 to 490 micrometer in diameter; yet the sign of the response of each unit correlated only with the level of dendritic branching. Thus, no other morphological feature except stratification appears to be important in determining the sign of the response of these cells. 4. The stratification of ganglion cells into on- and off-layers parallels the distribution of the axon terminals of the flat and invaginating cone bipolars. Flat cone bipolars are in a position to contact off-center ganglion cells (in sublamina a) and invaginating cone bipolars are in a position to contact on-center ganglion cells (in sublamina b). 5. The rod and cone inputs to some cells were characterized by comparing their responses to deep red and blue rod-matched stimuli over a 2-log unit range starting at dark-adapted threshold. About half the cells appeared to be rod dominated under these conditions, whereas the others appeared to have mixed rod and cone signals. 6. The nature of the rod and cone pathways to ganglion cells is discussed.

Effects of membrane stabilization on the safety of hypothermic arrest after aortic cross-clamping

Twenty dogs underwent 1 hour of topical hypothermic arrest; five were untreated, five received methyl prednisolone (30 mg/kg), five received 0.2% procaine, and five received both drugs. Arrest was almost immediate (less than 2 min) with procaine, but was delayed 14 +/- 3 minutes in the other groups. Steroid-treated dogs had the highest post-ischemic left ventricular (LV) blood flows (110 +/- 22 cc/100 g/min) (P less than 0.05). Membrane-stabilizing drugs did not prevent myocardial edema; LV water rose 2% (P less than 0.01) in all groups. Post-ischemic LV compliance was depressed most (55%) in the untreated group, and less after procaine (30%) (P less than 0.05). Postischemic LV performance was depressed 44% (P less than 0.01) in the untreated dogs, and returned to near normal levels with steroid (89% recovery), procaine (97% recovery), and both drugs (95% recovery). We conclude that steroids and/or procaine protect against postischemic myocardial depression but do not prevent myocardial edema. Combining steroids and procaine provide no apparent added benefit, but procaine has the technical advantage of almost immediate cardioplegia.

Facilitative effects of media violence on helping

The present experiment was undertaken to test the generality of Tannenbaum and Zillmann's arousal-excitation transfer model. 83 female subjects were insulted, praised, or treated in a neutral manner by the experimenter and then watched a neutral, arousing, or aggressive film clip. After viewing the film the subjects were given the opportunity both to aggress against and later to help the experimenter. Insulted subjects were more aggressive but no less helpful. Subjects helped significantly more following the aggressive film than either the arousing or neutral film.

Cat cones have rod input: a comparison of the response properties of cones and horizontal cell bodies in the retina of the cat

The responses of horizontal cell bodies and cones in the retina of the cat have been studied by means of intracellular recording and Procion dye injection in an isolated, arterially perfused eyecup preparation. Comparison of the hyperpolarizing responses of these units to red and blue stimuli of different intensities indicated that all morphological varieties of horizontal cells and, additionally, cones themselves, had mixed rod and cone input. The rod input into horizontal cell bodies is thus explained on the basis of cone physiology. The half-saturating intensity of 441 nm stimuli for the rod input into cones and horizontal cells was about 400 quanta/mum2/sec and about 160,000 quanta/mum2/sec for the cone input. Little of this difference can be related to the different quantum catching abilities of rods and cones. The spatial properties of horizontal cell bodies and cones have been characterized using stimuli consisting of long slits in conjunction with a continuous cable model. Space constants for horizontal cells ranged from 210 mum to 410 mum, whereas those for cones ranged from 50 mum, or possibly less, to 180 mum. It is argued that horizontal cell bodies of the cat retina form electrical networks, and that the sizes of the receptive fields generated in these networks may be limited by the diameters of the primary and secondary dendrites of horizontal cells. The rod and cone fields of horizontal cell bodies were found to be nearly coextensive in space, arguing against the notion that substantial rod input came from distant, rod-dominated terminal arborizations.

Bradycardia with mitral valve prolapse: a potential mechanism of sudden death

Eleven members of a family with a high prevalence of mitral valve prolapse were investigated. Seven had documented sinus bradycardia, and five had mitral valve prolapse. Three patients with both mitral valve prolapse and bradycardia had recurrent syncope reproduced by simple head-up tilting, and in one patient this resulted in asystole. The hemodynamic response to isoproterenol and phenylephrine administration were normal. Supine plasma norepinephrine levels were normal in all three and increased appropriately in two of three patients after tilting. Atrial pacing studies documented marked prolongation of atrial-His intervals and inability to maintain 1:1 atrioventricular conduction when paced at a rate of 120/min. These findings were reversed by atropine. This family shows a close correlation between mitral valve prolapse and potentially lethal bradycardia. Excessive vagal tone is believed to be responsible for both bradycardia and sinus arrest, which in two patients was prevented by permanent demand pacing.

Effect of dexamethasone on experimental brain edema in cats

The authors studied the effects of dexamethasone, 0.3 mg/kg/hr administered intravenously beginning 1 hour before injury, in adult cats with brain edema secondary to cold-induced cortical lesions. Edema was quantitatively measured in cortex, gyral white matter, and central (deep) white matter at 3, 24, 48, and 72 hours, with and without dexamethasone, by determining specific gravity (density) of samples in a continuous gradient column. Cold-induced lesions resulted in edema, which was greatest in the white matter of the injured hemisphere but also present in the contralateral hemisphere. Except for a slight but significant increase in density (decreased edema) of cortex at 24 hours, dexamethasone therapy resulted in no reduction of cold-induced edema, and in some cases increased the edema.

Horizontal cells in cat retina with independent dendritic systems

Cat horizontal cells are retinal neurons with two functionally distinct parts: the cell body receives signals predominantly from cones, while the terminal arborization receives predominantly from rods. The long thin process connecting these parts neither generates impulses nor allows significant passive electrotonic conduction between them.

Bile acid excretion after pull-through operation for Hirschsprung's disease

Four children with chronic diarrhoea and perianal excoriation after a pull-through operation for Hirschsprung's disease have been shown to have increased but not markedly raised levels of faecal bile acids. Bile acid analysis of the 'bile-rich' duodenal fluid obtained after pancreozymin stimulation in 3 of the patients indicated a marked reduction in the proportion of deoxycholic acid conjugates. These findings are compatible with colonic malabsorption of secondary bile acids in these patients which is related in some way to the pull-through operation, but which is not likely to be the cause of the diarrhoea and the anal excoriation.

Hypoglycemic coma associated with benign pleural mesothelioma

A case of hypoglycemic coma and benign pleural mesothelioma is described. Serum insulin levels, as measured by insulin radioimmunoassay, were appropriately suppressed and consistent with hypoglycemia. Assay of the tumor showed insulin to be undectable. The mechanisms for hypoglycemia probably included increased glucose consumption by the tumor and, more important, the inhibition of lipolysis and hepatic gluconegenesis caused by tumor release of L-tryptophan and its metabolites and/or possibly nonsuppressible insulin-like activity, soluble in acid-ethanol(NSILA-s).

[Thromboembolic risks and surgery for varicose veins]

The authors carried out a study on 53 patients operated on for varices with the object of determining the risk of postoperative thromboembolism. They tried to answer three questions : 1) What is the magnitude of the risk of thromboembolism after this kind of surgery? 2) What is the value of the different methods of detection available? 3) What attitude should be adopted towards therapy, not of thromboembolism as a complication, but of the threat of thromboembolism?