The incidence of secondary hemorrhage after traumatic hyphema

A retrospective study was undertaken to determine the incidence of secondary hemorrhage after traumatic hyphema in a medium-sized Canadian city. This was found to be 10%, which is similar to the incidence reported in other Canadian and northern European cities but much lower than that reported in some large American cities. The different racial mix of the sample populations is the most likely reason for these differences.

Actin filament organization of the Dunning R3327 rat prostatic adenocarcinoma system: correlation with metastatic potential

Recently, Volk, Geiger, and Raz (Cancer Res., 44: 811-824, 1984) addressed the question of whether variations in actin organization in clones of the murine K-1735 melanoma tumor correlated with their metastatic capability. Using immunofluorescence techniques, they found that clones which had a more ordered actin network were less metastatic, whereas clones having a diffuse actin staining pattern were more metastatic. Similarly, we have found that in the Dunning rat R3327 prostatic adenocarcinoma tumor system, the non-metastatic (less than 0.1%) H-prostatic tumor cell line has a prominent network of actin filament bundles, whereas the highly metastatic (greater than 90%) MatLyLu cell line has a diffuse actin staining pattern. In the low-metastatic (less than 10%) AT1 cell line an intermediate actin organization between H and MatLyLu was observed. Analysis of cell extracts from H- and MatLyLu-cells revealed differences in the level of activity of cellular proteins which affect actin filament assembly and structure in a manner similar to that of the cytochalasins, fungal metabolites which bind with high affinity to the fast-growing end of actin filaments. Extracts of MatLyLu were significantly more effective than those of H-cells in decreasing the extent of actin filament network formation and in inhibiting the rate of filament assembly by blocking monomer addition onto the fast-growing end. Measurements of spin-lattice nuclear magnetic resonance water proton relaxation times (T1) were made in surgically removed tumor tissue from four sublines (H, AT1, MatLyLu, and MatLu) of the Dunning R3327 tumor system. The highly metastatic cell lines had significantly longer water proton T1 relaxation times than did the lines with low metastatic potential. These differences in T1 may reflect the observed alterations in organization of actin filaments within these various sublines of the Dunning R3327 prostatic adenocarcinoma tumor system.

Reactions of methyl-substituted Hex-5-enyl and Pent-4-enyl radicals

Relative and absolute kinetic data have been determined for ring closure of methyl-substituted hex-5-enyl radicals: 2-methyl- (10a), 3-methyl-(4a), 4-methyl-(5a), 2,2-dimethyl-(10c), 3,3-dimethyl-(4c) and 4,4-dimethyl-hex-5-enyl (5c) radicals, generated by interaction of tributylstannane with the corresponding bromides (1a)-(3a) and (1c)-(3c). Each radical undergoes regiospecific or highly regioselective 1,5-cyclization more rapidly than does the unsubstituted radical (4d). The rate enhancements, which arise mainly from lowering of the activation energy, can be rationalized in terms of the gem-dimethyl effect. 1,5-Ring closures of monosubstituted species are stereoselective: 2-methyl- and 4-methyl-hex-5-enyl radicals (10a) and (5a) give mainly trans products, whereas 3-methylhex-4- enyl radical gives mainly the cis. This behaviour reflects the effect of the substituent on the stabilities of cyclic transition complexes in chair-like conformations. Ring closure of 2,2-dimethylpent-4-enyl radical or of 3,3-dimethylpent-4-enyl radical (19) could not be detected.

The influence of prostacyclin on coronary occlusion induced arrhythmia in cats

The present study examined the effect of prostacyclin (PGI2) on ventricular arrhythmias following coronary artery occlusion in the cat. The left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) was occluded abruptly in 50 cats anesthetized with alpha-chloralose. The ECG (Lead II) along with arterial blood pressure were monitored before and for at least one hour after occlusion. Either vehicle or PGI2 was infused at a rate of 0.15 ml . min-1 into the left atrium 15 min before and 1 hour after LAD occlusion. PGI2 was infused at 4 doses: 2.7,27,270 and 2700 pmole . kg-1 . min-1. Infusion of PGI2 before occlusion produced a dose dependent decrease in mean arterial blood pressure with no significant change in heart rate. Abrupt occlusion of the LAD produced ventricular arrhythmia in all cats ranging from ventricular premature beats to ventricular fibrillation (VF). In cats infused with PGI2 the incidence of VF ranged from 30-40% at the low and middle doses to a maximum of 60% at the highest dose (2700 pmole . kg-1 . min-10. The incidence of VF in the latter group was two times greater than that observed in the control group (30%). In addition, the mean number of ventricular ectopic beats was greater at the 27 and 2700 pmole . kg-1 . min-1 doses of PGI2 than in the control group. An increase in ventricular ectopic beats was not observed at the 2.7 or 270 pmole . kg-1 . min-1 doses of PGI2. These data indicate the PGI2 can exert an arrhythmogenic effect following coronary artery occlusion and that this effect occurs in a biphasic manner i.e., the increase in arrhythmia observed at 27 did not occur at 270 but occurred again at the 10 fold higher dose (2700 pmole . kg-1 . min-1). At the lowest dose of PGI2 infarct size was approximately 14% less than in the control group while, at the highest dose, infarct size was 20% greater than control and approximatey 40% greater than the lowest dose of PGI2.

Comparison of the effects of prostaglandins E1 and A1 on coronary occlusion induced arrhythmia

The present study compares the effects of PGE1 and PGA1 on ventricular arrhythmias following coronary artery occlusion. The left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) was occluded abruptly in 55 cats anesthetized with alpha-chloralose. Lead II of the ECG along with arterial blood pressure were monitored for one hour after occlusion. Either vehicle or prostaglandin was infused into the left atrium (LA) or femoral vein (IV) 15 min prior to and for 1 hour after LAD occlusion at a rate of 0.15 ml/min. Prostaglandin was infused at either a high dose (1.0 microgram/kg/min) or a low dose (0.1 microgram/kg/min). Infusion of either PGE1 or PGA1 produced a marked fall in blood pressure and heart rate which returned toward control before occlusion. Abrupt occlusion of the LAD produced ventricular arrhythmia in all cats ranging from ventricular premature beats to ventricular fibrillation (VF). The control animals had a 38% incidence of VF. VF occurred in 75% of the animals in which PGE1 was administered into the LA at either the high or low dose while the occurrence in those administered PGA1 was 67% and 50%, respectively. Intravenous administration of the high dose of PGE1 or PGA1 resulted in VF in 13% and 67% of the animals after LAD occlusion, respectively. These data indicate that the IV administration of PGE1 may protect the heart from VF while the infusion of PGE1 or PGA1 into the LA may enhance VF after LAD occlusion.

INHERITANCE OF A VARIEGATED FOLIAGE CHARACTER IN RUSSIAN WILD RYEGRASS, ELYMUS JUNCEUS FISCH

Segregation in population derived by crossing heterozygous progeny of Sc.260181, a variegated plant of Russian wild ryegrass, and Sc.25311, a normal plant, showed a 12 normal green:3 variegated:1 albino ratio indicating inheritance according to the dominant epistasis pattern for two factors.

THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF GENETIC AND MATERNAL CONTROL IN A SELECTED POPULATION OF LOLIUM PERENNE

The interrelationship of the maternal and genetic control for seed weight, rate of tiller production, length of fifth leaf, and total adult plant production in a 5 × 5 diallel cross of Lolium perenne L. were studied by estimation of the phenotypic, environmental, genetic, and maternal correlations. Genetic and maternal components of increased seed size lead to a reduction in tillering, leaf size and final production indicating that large seeds are not generally advantageous to growth and development. Environmental factors which promoted tillering also increased leaf length. Maternal control showed a similar pattern. However, genetic control indicated that the faster the tillering, the shorter the leaves, thus emphasizing the possible danger of considering only a single factor in selecting for increased yield. Phenotypic correlations indicate that total production was determined largely by tiller production with environmental factors influencing leaf length and tiller production. Neither genetic nor maternal control of tiller number or leaf size at the seedling stage greatly influenced final production, indicating that selection for either of these characters separately would not likely influence yield. The controls for maternal and additive genetic effects were found to be different. Maternal effects were strong and extended well beyond the influence of seed size effects.