Alanine stimulation of the pancreatic alpha- and beta-cell in the neonatal lamb

Alanine infusion in the newborn sheep produced a significant increase in plasma immunoreactive insulin concentrations without a change in plasma glucose or glucagon levels. In contrast, a brisk response of glucagon and glucose were seen in adult sheep after similar infusions. These data suggest that in newborn lambs pancreatic β-cell responsiveness matures earlier than the α-cell response.

Some Effects of Synthetic Juvenile Insect Hormones and Hormone Analogues on Tribolium Castaneum (Herbst)

The effects were studied of incorporating three synthetic insect juvenile hormones and five analogues in flour diets for T. castaneum. The synthetic hormones used were: methyl 10,ll-epoxy-7-ethyl-3,ll-dimethyltrideca- 2,6-dienoate (compounds I and II; these had the same structure but consisted of different isomer ratios), and methyl cis-l0,11-epoxy-3,7,11-trimethyltrideca-trans-2,trans-6-dienoate (III). The analogues used were: 6',7'-epoxy-3',7'-dimethyloct-trans-2'-enyl 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl ether (IV); 3'-methyl-7'-ethylnona-2',6'-dienyl 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl ether (V); ethyl 3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,4-dienoate (VI); isopropyl 11-methoxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,4-dienoate (VII); 6',7'-epoxy-3',7'-dimethyloct-trans-2'-enyl 4-ethylphenyl ether (VIII). Compounds II-VII were incorporated in flour media at concentrations of 5 and 20 p.p.m. and I and VIII at 5 p.p.m. only. The number of eggs laid in various treated media did not differ significantly from that in the control. Egg to adult development was inhibited by VII and VIII at 5 p.p.m. and by II, IV and VI at 20 p.p.m. Development was completed in other treatments but with a high level of adult morphological deformity except with V and VI at 5 p.p.m. The compounds tended to increase the developmental period from egg to adult.

Spontaneous external rupture of an infected popliteal cyst in rheumatoid arthritis

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An unusual response to chlorpromazine therapy

The production of a catatonic-like state in animals by phenothiazines and related compounds (‘experimental catatonia’) is an important laboratory test in the assessment of neuroleptics (Joyce, 1968). This response is, however, uncommon in humans who are receiving therapeutic doses of this type of drug. Such a case is described, and some of the literature concerning this subject is reviewed.

Reactions to total dose infusion of iron dextran in rheumatoid arthritis

Ten patients with active rheumatoid arthritis were given a total dose infusion of iron dextran for anaemia. One had an immediate anaphylactoid reaction; the other nine had a brief exacerbation of arthralgia and joint dysfunction of up to seven days' duration. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate rose by an average of 23 mm. in one hour (Westergren), but this often took longer than seven days to settle to the preinfusion level.It is suggested that this response is probably not due to an exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis but to a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to the dextran portion of the iron dextran complex. This treatment is potentially dangerous in rheumatoid arthritis; we recommend a preliminary test dose and that the infusion be started very slowly under supervision.

Some characteristics differentiating two groups of E.S.N. children

This enquiry is part of a wider investigation into the characteristics of children attending special schools for the educationally subnormal in South Wales. Seven local authorities are co-operating in the project, and they have made available records of children attending the eight special schools that they maintain. Two residential schools are provided by four rural authorities and six day schools are provided by three urban authorities. The characteristics of the population of 801 children who were attending the eight schools at the time of the enquiry have been reported previously in this Journal (Williams, 1966).

Some characteristics of educationally subnormal children

Over the past twenty years there has been a rapid growth in the provision of special schools for educationally subnormal children. Between 1953 and 1962, for example, the number of pupils attending special schools for the E.S.N. rose from 19,000 to 36,000 but there were still 10,000 children awaiting admission on the latter date (Ministry of Education, 1963). The E.S.N. population is different both quantitatively and qualitatively from the mentally deficient group of children of pre-war days, yet we have surprisingly little knowledge of the general characteristics of this growing section of the child population.

Lipodystrophia Progressiva

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