Cross-sectional echocardiographic study on the mitral valve prolapse associated with secundum atrial septal defect: pre- and post-operative comparison

Cross-sectional echocardiography was performed on 77 patients with secundum atrial septal defect (ASD). Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) was recognized in 41 out of the 77 (53.2%); anterior MVP was found in 36 patients, three cases revealed posterior MVP, and two were diagnosed as having both anterior and posterior MVP. Pre- and post-operative study was carried out on 53 cases; anterior MVP decreased in incidence from 28 patients to 17 following closure of ASD, whereas posterior MVP remained unchanged, as did both anterior and posterior MVP. The left ventricular distortion ratio (LVDR) was measured in the short axis view in 45 cases. After the repair of ASD, the LVDR decreased both in end-systole and end-diastole (p less than 0.01), that is, the left ventricle became more circular in configuration. Pre- and post-operatively, MVP patients revealed a significantly greater LVDR than those without it in end-systole, and post-operatively in end-diastole as well (p less than 0.01). Prior to operation, the short axis area of the left ventricle (LVSAA) was statistically larger in patients with MVP than without it in end-diastole (p less than 0.05). However, there existed no relationship between the presence of MVP and the pulmonic to systemic flow ratio, right ventricular dimension index, right ventricular systolic pressure and size of ASD at the time of operation.

Interactions among ventilation, the circulation, and the uptake and distribution of halothane--use of a hybrid computer multiple model: I. The basic model

The authors describe an 18-compartment hybrid computer multiple model of the uptake and distribution of halothane. This model uses 88 equations and 124 parameter settings. Three submodels are incorporated into the basic model: 1) The mass transport of halothane is simulated on the digital portion of the hybrid computer. 2) A breath-by-breath pulmonary model with two compartments describes air pressure-flow relations in the airway system. 3) A beat-to-beat cardiovascular model with 15 compartments describes in detail blood pressure-flow relations. In addition, a baroreceptor-heart rate loop is included: an increase in arterial pressure causes a decrease in heart rate. The slope of the baroreceptor response is progressively decreased by halothane until at 2 per cent there is no response. The model of halothane uptake and distribution is separate from the blood and air pressure-flow models, but is, in effect, driven by them. Myocardial "contractility" (stroke volume) and certain regional vascular resistances can be affected by the concentration of halothane in one or any proportion of any combination of three compartments: arterial blood (arteriolar concentrations), cerebral gray matter, or myocardial. In turn, these factors significantly affect the uptake and distribution of halothane. The responses to three steady-state concentration, as well as to a step change in concentration from 0 to 2 per cent, were examined. Twenty-four outputs were recorded, including halothane concentrations in ten compartments; myocardial "contractility"; left and right ventricular and right atrial pressures; cardiac output; stroke volume, R-R interval; and blood flows in six regions. Two variables--alveolar concentration of halothane and arterial blood pressure--were recorded during a step change of 0 to 5 per cent. The model describes the appropriate steady-state and dynamic cardiovascular responses to halothane. It also demonstrates the complex interrelationships among caridac output, regional blood flow distribution, and the uptake and distribution of halothane. During step change in halothane concentration, most of the responses occur early, a phenomenon also seen in man and goats. Thus, the model is useful not only for representing organ and tissue halothane concentrations, but also for gaining new insights into cardiovascular alterations produced by rapidly changing concentrations of halothane and into the complex interactions between the circulation and the uptake and distribution of halothane.

A schizophrenic subgroup: type A5

This report concerns a group of schizophrenics whose visual evoked potential reduced in amplitude most markedly in A5 (averaged potential evoked by 1 Hz flashes which started 5 min after the addition test for 15 min). These patients in general had poor productive symptoms and progressed very slowly. Most of them were simple schizophrenics.

A new method for detecting diatoms in human organs

A new method for diatom detection is described. It includes an ultrasonic irradiation procedure with the use of a tissue solubilizer. The method is easy to carry out and is less time-consuming than previous techniques.

Formation of multinuclear cells induced by dimethyl sulfoxide: inhibition of cytokinesis and occurrence of novel nuclear division in Dictyostelium cells

Our previous studies showed that 10 percent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) induces the formation of actin microfilament bundles in the cell nucleus together with the dislocation of cortical microfilaments from the plasma membrane. The present study investigated the effects of DMSO on diverse activities mediated by cellular microfilaments as the second step toward assessing potential differences between nuclear and cytoplasmic actins of dictyostelium mucoroides. DMSO was found to reversibly inhibit cell-to- glass as well as cell-to-cell adhesion, cell locomotion, and cell multiplication, whereas cytoplasmic streaming and phagocytosis were not obviously inhibited. Also, 5 percent DMSO inhibited cytokinesis but did not totally inhibit cell growth thus leading to the development of giant cells more than 10 times larger than normal cells. Transmission electron microscopy using serial thin sections showed the occurrence of multinucleation in the DMSO- induced giant cells. After the removal of DMSO, the giant multinuclear cells underwent multiple cytoplasmic cleavage producing normal-sized mononuclear cells. The nuclear division in the DMSO-induced giant cells was unique in that no spindle microtubules were formed, and vesicles appeared inside the nucleus forming a transverse partition of the nuclear envelope. The presence of actin filaments in those nuclei was demonstrated by a binding study with skeletal muscle myosin subfragment-1, and their possible involvement in this mode of nuclear division is discussed.

Dynamics of nuclear actin bundle induction by dimethyl sulfoxide and factors affecting its development

We have reported in a previous paper that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) induces the formation of huge bundles of actin filaments in the nuclei of Dictyostelium mucoroides. The present study was performed to provide electron microscope data on the induction of nuclear actin bundles, illustrating both their formation and their reversion, as well as on the effects of various factors on the induction. The large nuclear bundles of actin appeared after 20--30 min of treatment with 10% DMSO. A DMSO concentration of 5 or 10% was optimal for the induction of the bundles. The nuclear actin bundle reverted to the original morphology within 5 min after removing DMSO. Induction of nuclear actin bundles was inhibited by Mg++ and low temperatures, but not by Na+, K+, Ca++, ATP, 3'5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), phosphate buffer, or cytochalasin B. Neither NaN3 nor cycloheximide totally inhibited the induction of the bundles.

Clinical study on the right-sided Austin Flint murmur using intracardiac phonocardiography

Right heart catheterization was carried out on 14 patients with pulmonic regurgitation using intracardiac phonocardiography. All the patients showed pulmonic regurgitant murmur in the right ventricular outflow tract. In addition, seven out of the 14 patients showed mid-diastolic and presystolic murmurs maximally in the outflow tract of the right ventricle. Furthermore, inspiration increased the loudness of these diastolic murmurs in four patients. These findings were compatible with those of right-sided Austin Flint murmur due to functional tricuspid stenosis in pulmonic incompetence. Ten out of the 14 patients had pulmonary hypertension and all the subjects with a rightsided Austin Flint murmur showed elevated pulmonary arterial pressure. Thus, pulmonic regurgitation with pulmonary hypertension is thought to be closely related to the right-sided Austin Flint murmur and the turbulence resulting from antegrade flow across a closing tricuspid valve may be responsible for the genesis of the murmur.

The Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics of a One-dimensional Self-gravitational System

It is shown that the exact statistical mechanical properties of a one-dimensional self-gravitational system in. the limit of an infinite number of particles are easily obtained with the aid of the virial expansion.

The property of contingent negative variation (CNV) in psychiatric patients: schizophrenia and neurosis

The CNV parameters (amplitude and morphology) and the relationship between CNV parameters and performances (motor response time) were studied on schizophrenics (15 subjects), neurotics (15 subjects) and normal controls (30 subjects divided into 2 groups) in order to clarify the property of CNV in psychiatric patients. Also, the relationship between CNV and personality traits was investigated in neurotics. Since it has been known that age, sex and psychoactive drugs influence the CNV genesis in normal subjects, the control group method was used for these factors in this study. The results obtained were as follows: 1) Mean amplitudes of CNV's for schizophrenics and neurotics in each session of control, nonresponse and recovery tended to be lower than those for normal controls. Significant differences were found between schizophrenics and normal controls. 2) Correlations between CNV amplitude and response time in schizophrenics tended to be positive, while normal controls showed significantly high negative correlations. These findings were discussed from the viewpoint of the arousal theory of CNV genesis. 3) For the neurotic patients, the personality variables appeared to influence CNV amplitude. 4) Type B-CNV was most frequently seen in all sessions for normal controls. Schizophrenics and neurotics tended to show the increment of type P-CNV in nonresponse sessions without a motor response. 5) "Field Dependency" type-CNV was not found in psychiatric patients. This result did not correspond with the data reported by other investigators. 6) Type III- and type IV-prolonged CNV's appeared almost especially in schizophrenics although type II-CNV was observed in all groups. The mechanism of genesis of the prolonged CNV's was discussed.

Inhibition of 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene-induced mammary tumorigenesis in rats by a synthetic protease inhibitor, N,N-dimethylamino-(p-(p'-guanidinobenzoyloxy)) benzilcarbonyloxyglycolate

Oral administration of N,N-dimethylamino-(p(p'-guanidinobenzoyloxy))-benzilcarbonyloxy glycolate depressed induction of breast tumors in rats by a single intravenous injection of 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene. The latent period was delayed in the group fed on a diet supplemented with N,N-dimethylamino-(p(p'-guanidinobenzoyloxy))benzilcarbonyloxy glycolate. Administration of this compound for 40 days after 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene also significantly reduced the average weight of tumors per rat. These findings suggest that protease may play an important role in the process of mammary tumorigenesis.

The effect of motor-response-deprivation on contingent negative variation (CNV): the morphology

Eighty-four healthy subjects (47 males and 37 females) ranging in age between 9 and 76 years were employed in a study of the relations of the CNV morphology with the CNV amplitude, the reaction time and the MPI score. The results were as follows: 1. We classified a new type of Plateau (P) in the negative-going limb (NGL) types. 2. There was no sex difference in the NGL types, but the positive-going limb (PGL) types were influenced by age, and the type II tended to increase between the ages of 40--59 years old. 3. As a whole, the type B in the NGL and the type I in the PGL were most prominent regardless of age, session or paradigm. The type FD was very rare and appeared only in the session N. The types III and IV failed to be found in any healthy subjects. 4. Using the matched control study, the relations of the morphology with the CNV amplitude, the reaction time and the MPI score were analyzed. The conventional CNV amplitude in the sessions C and R increased in the sequences of the types B-A-P and the types I-II, and the CNV amplitudes in the session N increased in the sequences of the types A-B-P and II-I. The reaction time in the sessions C and R tended to prolong in the sequences of the types P-B-A and II-I. With the MPI, as the N-score increased with a decrease of the E-score, the NGL types changed from the type P to A through B in the conventional CNV and from the type A to B or P in the session N, while the PGL types changed from the type I to II in the conventional CNV and from the type II to I in the session N. 5. We suggest that there is a twofold arousal process, specific (task-relevant) and general, behind these types and that the dynamic balance of this process may influence psychological manifestations.