Multi-phasic Questionnaire profile of alcoholics and related factors

Thirty alcoholics treated as inpatients were administered the Multi-phasic Questionnaire (MPQ), a short version of MMPI, to study their personality pattern. Results showed highest loading on depression (85%) and lowest on anxiety (3%). A significant correlation was found between scales of psychopathic deviance and hysteria. Age of problem drinking under 35 years and poor PQ level were found to be associated with depression and psychopathic deviance. Clinical diagnosis was corroborated by the findings of the MPQ. The findings of the present study may be utilised to screen adolescents from alcoholic families for preventive measures.

The synergistic effect of drought and light stresses in sorghum and pearl millet

The effects of drought stress and high irradiance and their combination were studied under laboratory conditions using young plants of a very drought-resistant variety, ICMH 451, of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and three varieties of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)-one drought-resistant from India, one drought-tolerant from Texas, and one drought-sensitive variety from France. CO(2) assimilation rates and photosystem II fluorescence in leaves were analyzed in parallel with photosynthetic electron transport, photosystem II fluorescence, and chlorophyll-protein composition in chloroplasts isolated from these leaves. High irradiance slightly increased CO(2) assimilation rates and electron transport activities of irrigated plants but not fluorescence. Drought stress (less than -1 megapascal) decreased CO(2) assimilation rates, fluorescence, and electron transport. Under the combined effects of drought stress and high irradiance, CO(2) assimilation rates and fluorescence were severely inhibited in leaves, as were the photosynthetic electron transport activities and fluorescence in chloroplasts (but not photosystem I activity). The synergistic or distinctive effect of drought and high irradiance is discussed. The experiments with pearl millet and three varieties of sorghum showed that different responses of plants to drought and light stresses can be monitored by plant physiological and biochemical techniques. Some of these techniques may have a potential for selection of stress-resistant varieties using seedlings.

Pharmacologic experiments on the interaction between crotoxin and the mammalian neuromuscular junction

Crotoxin and its two subunits were tested for their neuromuscular blocking activity on the phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparation. Two types of experimental paradigms were used, the first of which separated the toxin binding step from subsequent events in paralysis and the second of which did not. In both paradigms the toxin produced concentration-dependent blockade of transmission. However, the results with low concentrations were variable, and in some cases complete neuromuscular blockade did not develop. The isolated acidic and basic subunits possessed little toxicity. In experiments designed to characterize binding, the intact toxin displayed the following properties: 1) the apparent half-time for tissue association was about 22 min; 2) binding was not affected by low temperature, the presence or absence of nerve stimulation and the substitution of strontium for calcium; and 3) when binding was allowed to go to completion, reversibility was negligible. Pretreatment of tissues with the isolated subunits of crotoxin did not enhance or inhibit the binding of the parent molecule. Modification of one histidine residue in the isolated basic subunit, followed by reconstitution with unmodified acidic subunit, generated a molecule that possessed only about 10% of the neurotoxicity of the native toxin. The modified toxin could not be used to antagonize binding of the native toxin. Both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies were generated that neutralized the biologic activity of crotoxin. In experiments that separated the binding step from later events in paralysis, the polyclonal preparation continued to locate and partially neutralize tissue-bound toxin. In experiments that initiated events that follow binding, polyclonal antibodies were progressively less effective with time in neutralizing toxin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cognitive functioning of alcoholics and its relationship with prognosis

In a preliminary study a group of 30 alcoholics were subjected to psychological tests to explore the influence of regular alcohol intake on their cognitive functioning and its relationship with prognosis. The functions chosen were, arousal and maintenance of attention, verbal intelligence and performance intelligence. Tests used were the Binet Kamat test of intelligence and Bhatia short scale. Level of education was positively correlated with attention-span and verbal intelligence, but not with performance intelligence. The inter-test discrepancy alone on the performance intelligence test could be assessed for evaluation of cognitive impairment. Poor P.Q. scorers sought medical consultation before their mid thirties and had earlier onset of alcoholism. Elder addicts (above 35 years) showed more abstraction deficiency. The higher the P.Q. the higher was its' positive correlation with adjustment to work, but not to family.

Discrete charge carrier transfer sites on proteins? A D.C. conductivity study on ultrathin protein films

D.C. electrical conduction in thin protein films (200 mg/cm2; approximately 2 mu in thickness) of bovine serum albumin and its dinitrophenylated derivatives with different stoichiometric composition was investigated at 17, 20 and 23% relative humidities and at room temperature. Statistically significant decrease in conductivity due to derivatization was observed even at protein-2,4-dinitrophenol stoichiometry as low as 1:2. A charge injection mechanism based upon discrete charge carrier transfer sites could account for the observations. Analogous events may operate in cellular signaling and coding.