Three-year prospective study of HTLV-III/LAV infection in homosexual men

170 symptom-free homosexual men were recruited in London in 1982-83 and 133 were evaluable in 1983-85. Of the 33 who were seropositive to HTLV-III/LAV at entry, 4 (12%) progressed to AIDS, 16 (48%) progressed to persistent generalised lymphadenopathy (PGL), and 13 (40%) remained symptom-free. A further 15 men seroconverted during the study (7% per annum), of whom 8 progressed to PGL. Serial estimations of T lymphocyte subsets showed progressive reduction in T4 numbers in the seropositive groups, but these indices also varied widely in the seronegative group. Counts of T4 and T8 cells or T4/T8 ratio at entry were not of prognostic value. Seronegative subjects were as likely as seropositives to have abnormal immunological tests. Serial measurement of T lymphocyte subsets seems to be of little prognostic or clinical value in the monitoring of populations infected with the HTLV-III/LAV virus. The strongest association with prognosis was an episode of sexually transmitted disease in the six months before entry to the study. This supports the hypothesis that intercurrent infection may be an important co-factor in the acquisition of HTLV-III/LAV infection, and in subsequent disease progression.

Magnetic resonance imaging of sacrococcygeal tumors

Five sacral tumors, 2 chordomas, 2 chondro- and/or osteosarcomas and one metastasis were examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The tumor delineation was excellent in all cases, and in several respects superior to CT. The signal pattern from the chordoma differed considerably from the other tumors suggesting a potential for tumor differentiation with MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging and tissue characterization of a renal cell carcinoma and its osseous metastasis. Report of a case

A patient with renal cell carcinoma, first presenting because of symptoms from an osseous metastasis, was examined with CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Both the primary tumor and the metastasis were well demonstrated by both methods. MRI tissue characterization showed that the T1 values in the kidney and the metastasis were the same, as were the T2 values. This may mean a potential for the MRI to define primary tumors when a metastasis is found.

A microbiological approach to nutrition

Fermentation is known to modify nutritional value of foods positively. A new technique for supplementing traditional fermented foods with limiting amino acids is presented. Normal fermentative bacteria are induced to produce specific amino acids during the fermentation period. Acceptable food products have been prepared using fermented grain. The concept may be applicable to developing countries.

Degradation of the copper-releasing intrauterine contraceptive device and its significance

Measurements were made of the copper remaining on used Gravigard intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs) that had been in utero for up to 40 months. The topography and composition of the surface deposits were analysed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The rate of copper loss decreased exponentially from 0.42 mumol d-1 (26.7 micrograms d-1) upon insertion to 0.056 mumol d-1 (3.6 micrograms d-1) after 26 months of use; between 27 and 40 months of use a linear release of 0.32 mumol d-1 (20.3 micrograms d-1) was observed. There was no correlation between this changing rate of copper loss and the pregnancy rate with the device in situ. The changes in the rate of copper loss were probably due to the growth of a surface corrosion product which, due to internal stresses, fractured after about 2 years and exposed fresh copper; this results in a progressive increase in breakage of the copper wire after 3 years. It is recommended that a copper IUCD of this type be replaced after 3 years.

The effect of maternal glucose infusion on breathing movements in human fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation

forty-nine patients with suspected intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) were studied under rigid experimental conditions to determine baseline fetal breathing movement (FBM) activity and the response to 90-minute maternal glucose infusion, as compared to that of normal control subjects. Patients with IUGR showed a normal amount of FBMs during maternal fasting. All groups exhibited a significant increase in FBMs after glucose was administered. During the final 60 minutes of the glucose infusion, the severe IUGR group (weight for gestational age less than the third percentile) showed less FBM activity (p less than 0.01) than the other study and control groups.

Nova scotia fetal risk project

Family physicians delivering obstetrical care in Nova Scotia were invited to participate in a fetal risk project, conducted from 1971 to 1975. Thirty percent of the physicians participated, and data were collected on 17,270 patients, using the Goodwin, Dunne and Thomas(4) fetal risk scoring system. Patients scoring four to ten on the entire system accounted for 60% of stillbirths and 68% of neonatal deaths; when the 68% of neonatal deaths; when the non-gestational portion alone was used, patients scoring three to six accounted for 52% of stillbirths and 57% of neonatal deaths. When the scoring system was altered, patients scoring three to six accounted for 61% of stillbirths and 62% of neonatal deaths. Patients of participants did not appear to fare better than those of non-participants.

Pathology of chronic Bolivian hemorrhagic fever in the rhesus monkey

Gross and microscopic lesions of Bolivian hemorrhagic fever (BHF) are described in 10 rhesus monkeys that survived from 30 to 78 days after subcutaneous inoculation with a dose of 10(3) plaque-forming units (PFU) of Machupo virus, a dose which produces a severe and generally fatal disease. Six of the monkeys had been given low doses of homologous immune globulin when initial signs of infection appeared. Monkeys exhibited clinical signs in two phases. The initial signs of acute infection which began to appear about 1 week following inoculation included: diarrhea, depression, anorexia, dehydration, and skin rash. The survivors of this early phase of the illness usually showed improvement before relapsing into the second (or chronic) phase, which was characterized clinically by central nervous system disturbances including incoordination, tremors, convulsions, paresis, and muscle atrophy. Microscopic lesions were similar in both immune globulin-treated and untreated animals. These included widespread lymphoreticular infiltrates in the walls and adventitia of blood vessels of the brain, spinal cord, pancreas, intestine, liver kidney, adrenal, parathyroid, heart, and skeletal muscle. Diffuse lymphocytic infiltrates not confined to the vascular or perivascular tissues were present to a variable degree in many of these and other organs. Several monkeys exhibited lymphocytic inflammation of the choroid, meninges, peripheral nerves, and ganglia.

Purification and properties of a carboxylesterase from the liver of tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)

A procedure is described for the purification of a carboxylesterase from shark liver, using a chloroform-acetone powder prepared from the liver as the starting material. The yield of purified enzyme is approximately 50 mg from 530 g of chloroform-acetone powder. The preparation is electrophoretically homogeneous. Active-site titrations with paraoxon gave an equivalent weight of approximately 83 000. The molecular weight, found from sedimentation equilibrium experiments, is approximately 80 000. There is no evidence of any association or dissociation of this species. The enzyme shows a marked preference for aryl esters over alkyl esters, in contrast to other carboxylesterases so far studied. The amino acid composition of the purified enzyme is reported.

Carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1). Purification and titration of chicken, sheep, and horse liver carboxylesterases

Chicken, sheep, and horse liver carboxylesterases have been purified by procedures involving ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration on Sephadex. The actual yields of the procedures described were as follows: chicken, 1 g from 2 kg of liver powder (chloroform-acetone); sheep, 200 mg from 400 g of powder (chloroform-acetone); horse, 230 mg from 800 g of powder (acetone). The purified enzymes are free of non-carboxyl-esterase protein as shown by gel electrophoresis, although they do contain electrophoretic variants. The equivalent weight of the chicken enzyme is 67,000 based on titration with p-nitrophenyl diethyl phosphate or bis(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate, whereas those of the sheep and horse enzymes are similar to 69,500 and similar to 70,000, respectively, based on titration with p-nitrophenyl dimethylcarbamate.

Carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1). Amino acid composition of liver carboxylesterases

The amino acid compositions of the carboxylesterases from chicken, ,orse, ox, sheep, and pig livers are reported and compared. As would be expected for this homologous series, the compositions show a general similarity. However, there are some significant differences, but the degree to which particular pairs of enzymes differ is consistent with the evolutionary history of the species from which they were isolated.

Effects of low humidity on small premature infants in servocontrol incubators. I. Decrease in rectal temperature

19 small premature infants in servocontrol incubators, whose abdominal skin temperature was 36.0 +/- 0.3 degrees C, were subjected to alternate high- and low-humidity environments. With low humidity, rectal temperature dropped significantly below abdominal skin temperature. Skin was the predominant site of evaporative heat loss. The temperature was lower on naked skin than on an area covered by adhesive tape. Thus, servocontrol with low humidity increases evaporative heat loss and engenders a cycle of events that results in paradoxical body temperature decrease as the incubator temperature increases.

New York doctors and London medicines, 1677

Images

Host Pathogen Relations in Powdery in Mildew of Barley II. Changes in Respiratory Pattern

The histological natUl'e of resistance of barley seedlings to infection hy EI'!l8illhe rrl'wninis val'. hOl'de'i is woll understood. Infootion b~' this obligato pal'asito causos marked bioehemical changes in the hosL These changos al'e expressed in an increased l'ospimtory rate. The pattei'll of l'oHpirator,Y ehallgo is differont. and typical for tho varietal typos tested and may be correlated with the ebsorvecl histological changes. This inoreasod respimtion may woll he duo to t.he formatioll, oit.hor by t.ho pathogen or by tho host pathogen oombination, of an agellL which uncouples diroetly 01' indirectly the coneomitant phosphorylations normally limiting tho l'cRpiratory rate.