Sclerosteosis: neurogenetic and pathophysiologic analysis of an American kinship

We studied an American kinship with sclerosteosis, an autosomal-recessive disorder of bone remodeling and bone overgrowth of the calvaria, skull base, and tubular bones. Unlike osteopetrosis, which is attributed to abnormal immune and osteoclast function as well as bone resorption, sclerosteosis appears to be primarily a disorder of osteoblast (bone formation) hyperactivity. Related to cranial vascular and neural foraminal narrowing and reduced intracranial volume, affected patients with sclerosteosis demonstrate frequent seventh nerve palsy, progressive optic and cranial neuropathies, mixed hearing loss, brainstem compression, intracranial hypertension with increased elastance, and sudden, premature death. Management should involve early childhood identification of homozygotes, monitoring and aggressive treatment of intracranial hypertension, and extensive bone removal from skull, posterior fossa, and cervical spine.

Comparison of clinical result between microsurgical and direct visual intracranial aneurysm surgery

A retrospective study of 119 operative procedures for intracranial aneurysm was performed to compare the clinical result with microsurgical technique vs. that with standard instruments and without magnification; the operative technique was the major variable. The study demonstrated more normal patients, less intraoperative aneurysm rupture, and a greater capacity to isolate the aneurysm definitively with microsurgical technique. Anatomically and pathologically more difficult aneurysms had an even greater percentage of good clinical results when treated microsurgically. Familiarity and experience with microsurgical technique was associated with better clinical results, whereas the results with direct vision remained static.

Purification of glycoprotein gD of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 by use of monoclonal antibody

Glycoproteins gD-1 and gD-2 of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, respectively, were purified on an immunoadsorbent consisting of the type-common monoclonal antibody HD-1 linked to Sepharose. Each glycoprotein was of sufficient purity, quantity, and biological activity to be used for immunological and biochemical studies. Each glycoprotein induced high titers of type-common monospecific neutralizing antibody in mice. Amino aicd analysis indicated that gD-1 and gD-2 had similar though not identical amino acid compositions.

Effect of monoclonal antibodies on limited proteolysis of native glycoprotein gD of herpes simplex virus type 1

We examined the properties of 17 monoclonal antibodies to glycoprotein gD of herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) (gD-1) and HSV-2 (gD-2). The antibodies recognized eight separate determinants of gD, based on differences in radioimmuno-precipitation and neutralization assays. The determinants were distributed as follows: three were gD-1 specific, one was gD-2 specific, and four were type common. Several type-specific and type-common determinants appeared to be involved in neutralization. We developed a procedure for examining the effect that binding of monoclonal antibody has on proteolysis of native gD-1 by Staphylococcus aureus protease V8. We showed that several different patterns of protease V8 cleavage were obtained, depending on the monoclonal antibody used. The proteolysis patterns were generally consistent with the immunological groupings. With four groups of antibodies, we found that fragments of gD-1 remained bound to antibody after V8 treatment. A 38,000-dalton fragment remained bound to antibodies in three different groups of monoclonal antibodies. This fragment appeared to contain one type-common and two type-specific determinants. A 12,000-dalton fragment remained bound to antibodies belonging to one type-common group of monoclonal antibodies. Tryptic peptide analysis revealed that the 12,000-dalton fragment represented a portion of the 38,000-dalton fragment and was enriched in a type-common arginine tryptic peptide.

Synthesis and processing of glycoproteins gD and gC of herpes simplex virus type 1

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) contains five glycoproteins, designated gA, gB, gC, gD, and gE. The present studies focused on the synthesis and processing of two of these, gC and gD. By using monoprecipitin antibody to gC, we demonstrated an antigenic and structural relationship between the precursor, pgC(110), and the product, gC(130). Tryptic peptide analysis showed that pgC and gC shared methionine peptides and that these molecules had the same fingerprint pattern as that of gC(130) extracted from the purified virion. These results suggested that post-translational processing of gC involved no major changes in methionine-containing tryptic peptides or in the cleavage sites required to generate those peptides. The syntheses of gC and gD were compared. We found that the glycoproteins were synthesized starting at different times in the infectious cycle; pgD was detected by 2 h postinfection, whereas pgC was first detected at 4 to 6 h postinfection. Both precursor molecules, pgC(110) and pgD(52), are basic glycopolypeptides, and in both cases processing involved changes in molecular weight and charge. These changes were detected by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Both glycoproteins exhibited heterogeneity, displayed as a series of spots (6 for gD and 15 to 20 for gC) of increasing negative charge and molecular weight. Neuraminidase treatment decreased the size, number, and acidic charge of the spots, suggesting that processing was due in part, but not entirely, to addition of sialic acid to pgD and pgC.

A comparison of cognitive impairment due to benzodiazepines and to narcotics

In an attempt to determine the source of cognitive impairment in 106 consecutively admitted patients at the Johns Hopkins Chronic Pain Treatment Center, EEG, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Memory Quotient, and Bender Gestalt tests were administered. Patients receiving benzodiazepines alone demonstrated alterations in cognitive functioning and EEG evidence of a sedative effect. Patients receiving narcotics alone and a group of patients not receiving medication did not show signs of cognitive impairment. The effects of benzodiazepines on sleep and perception of chronic pain, in combination with the cortical changes that they produce, imply that these drugs should not be used in most patients with chronic pain.

Salt taste detection: an R-index approach to signal-detection measurements

The R-index approach to the signal-detection P(A) index of sensitivity was used to measure taste sensitivity to NaCl solutions. The R-index is the predicted probability of the correct choice of a signal, for a given signal-noise pair. For flow-wise and sipwise presentation, R-indices did not fluctuate significantly, provided subjects could not see the stimuli yet to be presented, indicating a lack of systematic sensitivity drift. The simultaneous measurement of more than one signal strength with reference to a common noise stimulus was seen to be a viable and sensitive procedure. Comparison of flow-wise and sipwise presentation of stimuli using R-indices, indicated that the former elicited greater subject sensitivity to NaCl taste.

Derivation and maintenance of gnotobiotic dogs

Revised techniques for derivation and maintenance of gnotobiotic dogs for research purposes were outlined. Gravid uteri were removed from pregnant beagle bitches and passed through a germicidal trap into a flexible plastic isolation unit. Pups were raised on a milk replacement diet and weaned to solid food by 4 weeks of age.

Influence of transplacentally acquired antibody on neonatal susceptibility to canine distemper virus in gnotobiotic dogs

In utero acquistion of protective levels of neutralizing antibody to canine distemper virus (CDV) was observed in four litters of colostrum-deprived gnotobiotic and specific-pathogen-free puppies. Pregnant bitches with high antibody titers passively transferred antibody to these pups transplacentally in average titers of 1:7 to 1:16 per litter. Maternally derived antibody protected neonatal pups from otherwise fatal infection with virulent CDV. Protection was associated with a transient lymphopenia and viremia and temporary suppression of lymphocyte responses to phytohemagglutinin-P.

Signs of impending parturition in the laboratory bitch

The most consistent and reliable physical sign of impending parturition in pregnant laboratory beagle bitches was palpable relaxation of pelvic and abdominal musculature. A drop in rectal temperature was of some value but was found to be too variable between individuals to use as the sole criterion. Abrupt changes in attitude or appetite were the chief behavioral changes observed. Since the institution of a standardized record form for all pregnant dogs, 15 consecutive term litters have been successfully derived from pregnant dogs into gnotobiotic life isolation units.

Multichannel Thomson scattering apparatus

A Thomson scattering apparatus for measuring the electron temperature and density along a 90-cm diam of the PLT plasma has been built. A wide angle objective images the 3-mm x 900-mm ruby laser beam onto an image dissector which rearranges the 300:1 image to 20:1 forming the input slit of a spectrometer. The stigmatic spectrometer provides twenty wavelength elements of ~70 A each. A microchannel-plate image intensifier optically coupled to a cooled SIT tube provides detection with single frame linearity and 1000:1 dynamic range. Spatial profiles of N(e) and T(e) in the 10(13)-10(14)-cm(-3) range and 0.05-3 keV have an accuracy of 30 [10(13)/N(e) (cm(-3))]((1/2))% per 1.2-cm element.

Control of tartrate utilization in Aspergillus flavus

The utilization of L(+)-tartrate in Aspergillus flavus is constitutive. The use of tartrate by these cells is inhibited by the metabolic poisons 2,4-dinitrophenol and sodium azide. Glucose, mannose, and sucrose at high extracellular concentrations prevent the utilization of L(+)-tartrate by the young mycelium. Ammonium ion increases the inhibition due to glucose, while the addition of ferric ions to the external medium prevents the glucose-induced inhibition of tartrate utilization.

An exploratory study of the use of two response keyboards as a means of communication for the severly handicapped child

A technique for developing communication skills for the severely handicapped child was devised. Two instruments are described along with preliminary findings regarding their use.