Phenotypically normal individuals with an inversion (X) (p22q13) and the recombinant (X), dup q

Two families are described in which there is an inv(X) (p22q13) which has been transmitted for three generations. In one family (K482), no recombinants have been recovered and the inversion can be traced to a female born in 1839. In the second family (K491), a recombinant (X), dup q, has been recovered in a normal fertile woman. In both families the inverted X appears to be carrying the Xg allele. Despite extensive family studies no common ancestor has been found for the two families. The pattern of DNA synthesis has been studied in those individuals who are karyotypically 46,X,inv(X) (p22q13) and 46,X,rec(X)dup 1, inv(X) (p22q13); the selection of the abnormal as the late synthesizing X chromosome is random in the former and total in the latter. In some cells the two long arms of the recombinant X chromosome showed asynchrony of DNA replication.

Evaluation of low-viscosity intravascular silicone rubber with scanning electron microscope

A low-viscosity silicone rubber polymer used as an intravascular embolization material was studied with the aid of a scanning electron microscope. The silicone polymer became permanently affixed to the vessel endothelium without observable morphologic changes in the endothelium. No evidence of late recanalization of the embolized vessels was found in our experimental sections.

A study of mitosis, meiosis, histology, and scanning electron microscopic details of spermatogenesis in an infertile male with probable 46,XY/47,XXY germinal mosaicism

A 29-year-old infertile man with mild eunuchoid body proportions and unilateral gynecomastia with a low sperm count had normal chromosomes in lymphocytes and skin fibroblasts. Serum testosterone, urinary ketosteroid, and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were normal, but serum prolactin, luteinizing hormone, and estrogen levels were above normal. Testicular biopsy showed hypocellularity, a pacuity of maturing sperm, and increased lipid content in early spermatogonia. Cytogenetic analysis of the testicular material showed probable 46,XY/47,XXY mosaicism in spermatogonial cells. None of the cells in diakinesis and metaphase I showed the extra-X as a univalent, and 50% of the cells in diakinesis were hypodiploid with intact XY bivalents. Further analysis of spermatogenesis revealed polymorphic dyads, triads, tetrads, and uncleaved meiotic products of first and second meiosis. Sex chromatin studies of testicular cells showed that 20% of the cells were X-chromatin positive. Scanning electron microscopic study of sperm revealed a wide range of polymorphisms, with some uncleaved meiotic products maturing into double-headed and double-tailed sperm or sperm with bulbous middle pieces or protrusions. A cytogenetic basis for the origin of these abnormalities is presented.

A rapid culture-harvest protocol for amniotic cell cultures

A rapid culture-harvest technique for amniotic fluid is presented using the poly-L-lysine technique (Rajendra et al. 1980). The procedure is simple, reproducible, and involves harvesting primary cultures five to eight days after culture. This technique is particularly useful as an adjunct to routine procedures, in advanced gestational age where preliminary chromosome counts are required to relieve anxiety, sex determination when sex linked traits are involved, and in situations where the cultures produce very small colonies that do not proliferate or respond to sub-cultures and thus are difficult to harvest.

The usefulness of NOR and RFA banding in prenatal diagnosis: a case report

Prenatal chromosome analysis of amniotic cells showed a male fetus to carry an unusual marker D chromosome containing extra genetic material on the short arm, which could be interpreted as a possible t(D;G) or t(D;Fq) unbalanced translocation using non-branded preparations or a routine GTG band method. Analysis of this marker by NOR and RFA banding and parental chromosome studies showed the marker to be an unusual variant of the satellited area of chromosome 15, with no associated phenotypic anomalies. The usefulness of NOR and RFA banding as aids in chromosome identification in prenatal diagnosis is discussed.

The protective effect of a cold weather mask on exercised-induced asthma

The authors investigated the usefulness of a cold weather mask in reducing exercise-induced bronchospasm. Ten asthmatic subjects were selected because of previously demonstrated exercise-induced bronchospasm. Airway responses to submaximal exercise were measured on four separate days. Exercise was performed on the first two days at ambient temperature in a centrally air-conditioned laboratory and on the second two days in a refrigerated room. Exercise challenge was similar on each of the two days of the separate environmental conditions, with the exception that a mask was worn on one of the two days. Pulmonary function was measured using maximal and partial expiratory flow volume curves before and after exercise. On both of the days during which subjects exercised without a mask, significant decreases in all pulmonary function parameters occurred. Protection was seen under both conditions, but was more complete in the cold. These studies demonstrate the therapeutic potential of cold weather masks in protecting asthmatics against the effects of exercise and cold air.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis. Report of a patient with severe anemia and clubbing

We report a 31-year-old man in whom initially localized lymphomatoid granulomatosis was diagnosed at left pneumonectomy. He had severe anemia which is rare and clubbing of the fingers and toes, a feature not previously described. Five months following surgery, disease spread to the right lung, and atypical lymphomatous transformation occurred in cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes, leading to a superior vena cava syndrome. Chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and prednisone resulted in significant resolution initially, but ultimately, the patient had progressive axillary node enlargement and succumbed. Clinical and roentgenographic improvement and later deterioration following pneumonectomy and improvement with chemotherapy were mirrored by changes in degree of clubbing, leukocytosis, and elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Effect of pH on the Activity of Some Respiratory Inhibitors

Inhibition of respiration of cultured cells of Petunia hybrida by NaF, NaN(3), malonic acid, and salicylhydroxamic acid increased at low pH. This increase could be partially reversed by raising the pH of the medium. Uptake experiments show that the greater inhibition of malonic acid at low pH was not the result of greater uptake. The results suggest that the increase in inhibition at low pH could not be attributed to greater cell penetration.

Effect of litter size on the physical growth and maturation of the offspring of rats given alcohol during gestation

A study was conducted to determine if retarded postnatal growth and maturation of the offspring of rats receiving alcohol prior to and during gestation could be corrected by adjusting litter size at birth to 3 pups. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (200 to 220 g) were divided into 3 dietary treatment groups. Group 1 (alcohol) was fed ad libitum a stock diet (Purina Rat Chow) plus 20% alcohol in drinking water for at least 4 weeks before mating and 30% alcohol throughout gestation. Group 2 was pair-fed the stock diet and corn starch calorically equivalent to the amount of alcohol consumed. Group 3 (control) received the stock diet and water ad libitum. In each group litters were reduced to 3 or 8 pups on the first day of birth. After birth all animals had free access to water and stock diet until day 51 post conception. In agreement with previously reported studies, the offspring of alcohol-fed rats were lighter in body weight and smaller in body and tail length at all ages than were the controls. However, animals maintained in litters of 3 were not significantly different in weight and length from those raised in litters of 8, either for alcohol group or the controls. The pair-fed litters were not significantly different from the ad libitum controls. Skeletal measurements and calf muscle widths of alcohol fed rats at day 51 post conception were significantly less than those of ad libitum controls of the same litter size, with the pair-fed animals lying somewhere in between. However, in no case did alcohol or control animals raised in litters of 3 differ from the same group maintained in litters of eight. Total bone maturity scores of alcohol-fed offspring were significantly retarded, relative to pair-fed and ad libitum controls, but within any group, litters of 3 did not differ from litters of eight. The results of this study indicate that retarded postnatal growth and maturation of the offspring of rats receiving alcohol prior to and during gestation represents a direct effect of alcohol and is not a consequence of underfeeding.

A new and simple technique for chromosomal preparations from peripheral blood lymphocytes, amniotic cell cultures, skin fibroblasts, bone marrow and single cell clones when the yields from harvests are low

A technique for chromosomal preparations from low yields harvest is presented using Poly-L-Lysine (300,000-400,000 MW). The procedure can be successfully used for peripheral blood lymphocytes, amniotic cell cultures, skin fibroblasts, direct preparations from bone marrow, cloned clusters and colonies from bone marrow grown on agar or methyl cellulose and eggs and blastocysts, with applications to other tissues. The technique is simple with minimal cell loss, and chromosomal preparations of good quality can be obtained which are amenable to all banding techniques.

Compensatory adrenal hypertrophic response in fetuses of calorie-malnourished rats

Fetuses of ad libitum fed and calorie-restricted rats were unilaterally adrenalectomized on day 19. By day 20 ad libitum fed fetuses exhibited compensatory adrenal hypertrophy, but calorie-restricted fetuses did not. As this may be due to the elevated corticosteroid levels of the calorie-restricted dams, unilateral adrenalectomy was performed on fetuses of control and restricted rats bilaterally adrenalectomized on day 15. Fetuses of restricted and control rats exhibited compensatory hypertrophy. One effect of calorie restriction may be to increase the amount of maternal corticosteroids acting on the fetus.

A non-pharmacologic approach to the treatment of exercise-induced bronchospasm

We investigated the effects of breathing air warmed and fully saturated to body temperature (AWS) before, during, and after exercise in asthmatic subjects. Airway responses to submaximal exercise on a cycloergometer were measured on four separate days in 14 asthmatic volunteers. On day 1 the subjects exercised breathing ambient air (AA). On the subsequent three days exercise was performed with the subjects breathing AWS, (1) for five minutes preceding, (2) during, and (3) for five minutes following exercise. We showed complete protection against EIB by AWS during exercise, but no protection by AWS before or after exercise. On two subsequent days we examined the effects of partially warming and humidifying the subjects' inspired air by having them wear a mask during exercise. We found that with such protection bronchospasm was significantly but not completely blunted. We conclude that the physiologic changes initiated during exercise can be prevented by breathing AWS during exercise, but are not by AWS inhaled before or after exercise. Furthermore, these studies demonstrate the possibility of using masks as a non-pharmacologic means of controlling EIB.