Cataract formation in newborn rats from feeding a liquid protein diet during gestation

Liquid protein diets have been widely used in the United States to control weight gain. Pregnant rats were fed a standard casein diet in which liquid protein was substituted for the protein portion; all other necessary nutrients were supplied. The average incidence of cataracts in the offspring from mothers fed liquid protein was 25%. Offspring born with cataracts were successfully raised. The results suggest that nutrition may play an important role in cataract formation in newborns, and that the use of liquid protein during pregnancy may be related to ocular abnormalities in the offspring.

[Fungal infestation of gastroduodenal ulcers: incidence and significance (author's transl)]

In a prospective study of 132 cases of gastroduodenal ulcer, proven by endoscopic biopsy, there were 59 in which fungi were cultered (44.7%). There was no significant difference in incidence between gastric ulcer (46.2%) and duodenal ulcer (42.6%), or between benign and malignant gastric ulcer (47.2 and 42.1%, respectively). Most of the fungi were yeasts of the genus Candida and Torulopsis. The mycel phase was demonstrable only in the native or histological preparation (16.7% [native] and 10.6% [histological] positive findings). In all those cases in which pseudomycels were demonstrated the culture count was especially high (more than 20 colonies). In most of these there was an additional disease which may be associated with immunological insufficiency (e.g. diabetes, chronic alcoholism, malignoma). The presence of pseudomycelia or more than 20 colonies in the culture from gastroduodenal ulcers are thus less of a pointer as to whether the local lesion is benign or malignant than to a general weakening of the organism's defence mechanisms.

Conceptions of mental illness among Asian and Caucasian-American students

The attitudes and beliefs of 62 Asian American and 81 Caucasian college students toward mental illness were examined. After controlling for demographic and background variables between students, a number of significant ethnic differences emerged. These results were interpreted in the context of Asian subcultural values and implications for psychotherapeutic practice were drawn.

Functional changes in platelets during extracorporeal circulation

An in vitro trauma test was conducted to determine the effects of extracorporeal circulation on platelet count and function. Fresh human blood was circulated in two identical in vitro circuits for six hours at a rate of 500 ml per minute (500 recirculations). One circuit included a G.E.--Peirce membrane lung and the other was a control. Platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), epinephrine, or collagen was studied before and after six hours of perfusion. No important drop in platelet count occurred in the control circuit (Control-C) following bypass, but there was a 20% drop for the lung circuit (Lung-C). Platelet aggregation was reduced by about 30% for the control circuit and 65% for the lung circuit. The large decrease in platelet function accompanied by only a moderate decrease in platelet count is discussed in terms of loss of the youngest and most active platelets, platelet inhibition due to ADP released by red blood cell lysis, and platelet trauma.

Hyperaggregation effect in idiopathic thrombocytopenia and multiple transfused patients

A new technique for detecting platelet antibodies was investigated. The serum from patients having platelet antibodies was added to normal group O compatible pooled platelet-rich plasma. Platelet aggregation induced by adrenaline and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) was significantly increased as compared to the identical platelet-rich plasma without serum. The platelet-rich plasma with serum added did not aggregate spontaneously. When an alpha-adrenergic blocking agent (tolazoline) was added, the primary wave of aggregation induced by adrenaline was equally reversed with platelet-rich plasma, with or without serum. Although platelet antibodies by themselves did not agglutinate platelets in our test system, it is probable that platelet antibodies interact with platelets and potentiate their ability to aggregate. It is suggested that the platelet aggregometer is a useful tool for the detection of platelet antibodies in vitro.

Uneven distribution of maternal and fetal placental blood flow, as demonstrated using macroaggregates, and its response to hypoxia

A technique is described for studying the distribution of blood flow to the maternal and fetal placental vessels in sheep and dogs with radioactive labeled macroaggregates of albumin. When the maternal animal breathed room air the distribution of maternal placental blood flow was uneven among the cotyledons as well as within a given cotyledon. Fetal blood flow was also distributed nonuniformly among and within the cotyledons. The relation of maternal to fetal placental blood flow was also markedly uneven (coefficient of correlation, tau = 0.066). After the animal was made hypoxic by breathing 10-12% O(2) the distribution of maternal, fetal, and maternal/fetal placental flows became more uniform. The coefficient of correlation of maternal to fetal flow was high (tau = 0.53, P < 0.01). While the maternal animal breathed room air, after ligation of a major branch of the umbilical artery the distribution of maternal, fetal, and maternal/fetal flows in the remaining two-thirds to three-fourths of the placenta became more uniform. The correlation coefficient for maternal to fetal flow was high (tau = 0.35, P < 0.01).It appears that under normal circumstances with uneven distribution of blood flows there is a considerable portion of the placenta that does not receive blood flow in optimum quantities to promote efficient O(2) exchange. Failure to consider the influence of nonuniform maternal flow/fetal flow will result in overestimation of mean maternal-fetal oxygen tension gradients, and thus underestimation of the placental diffusing capacity for oxygen. In response to maternal hypoxia or compromise of the fetal placental circulation the distribution of maternal, fetal, and maternal/fetal flows becomes more uniform, thereby increasing the efficiency of placental O(2) exchange.