Chemosensory and neural influences on photoperiodic responsiveness of laboratory rats

Olfactory bulbectomy unmasks photoperiodic responsiveness in normally nonphotoperiodic rats. We assessed whether the photoperiodic effects of bulbectomy reflect disruption of chemosensory input. At 26-28 days of age, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to removal of their vomeronasal organ (VNO) complex, a sham-VNO ablation or large electrolytic lesions aimed at the pyriform cortex or corticomedial nuclei of the amygdala. Other rats were infused with (1) 7.5% ZnSO4, a treatment that destroys the olfactory neuroepithelium, (2) 0.09% saline, or (3) air in each external nare every 4 days; rats from each treatment condition were assigned either to a long (LD 14:10) or short (LD 8:16) day lighting regimen and were autopsied at 90 days of age. Seminal vesicle and paired testes weights did not differ significantly among long-day groups. Mean seminal vesicle and paired testes weights were decreased only in short-day rats treated with ZnSO4. These results indicate that the VNO does not mediate the effects of photoperiod on rat reproduction. Olfactory information, not transduced by the amygdala, or nonsensory components of the olfactory bulbs appear to mask photoperiodism in intact rats.     

Uncooked cornstarch--efficacy in type I glycogenosis

Uncooked cornstarch (UCCS) loads in 14 patients with type 1 glycogenosis revealed that satisfactory glycaemia was achieved for a median of 4.25 hours (range 2.5 to 6). Length of glycaemia was related weakly to UCCS dose, but not to patient age or measures of metabolic control. Careful monitoring is required during UCCS treatment.     

Leucocyte counts during pregnancy and the puerperium and at birth in Nigerians

Serial observations have been made on the total and differential leucocyte counts of Nigerian primigravidae during pregnancy and the puerperium, and of their newborn infants. There was a neutrophil leucocytosis of double non-pregnant values during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, and a peak during labor. The total white cell and neutrophil counts behaved in a manner similar to that reported in Caucasians, but counts were on average about 3.0 x 1 billionth 1 lower in the Nigerians. Eosinophil counts were high, presumably due to helminthic infections, but were lower in pregnancy than in non-pregnant state: there was a dramatic lowering of the eosinophil count at the time of delivery. Visual counting did not allow meaningful observations on changes in the basophil count. Monocyte counts were unaltered by pregnancy, but there was a significant drop in mean count caused by a great number of 0 differential counts at delivery. There was a slight but significant depression of lymphocyte count during pregnancy, but no further change at the time of delivery. All counts at 6 weeks after delivery were similar to those of adult male Nigerians. The leucocyte counts of African and Caucasian newborn appear to be similar. The data provide reference ranges of white cell counts in African or women of African descent during pregnancy.     

Should DRG assignment be based on age?

The present Medicare Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) classification system contains 95 DRG pairs, where one DRG of the pair contains patients within a distinct diagnostic category who are under 70 years of age with no comorbidities or complications (CCs). The other DRG of the pair contains patients in the same diagnostic category who are over 69 or who have CCs. This study examines whether it is appropriate for reimbursement purposes to group those patients who are 70 years of age or older but have no CCs with patients who have CCs. Our findings show that age alone, in the absence of CCs, increases length of stay and cost of care only slightly. In fact, using only CCs as a classification variable reduces the within-group variance more than the present classification based on both age and CCs. Therefore, it is inappropriate to group Medicare patients who are older than 70 years of age without CCs with Medicare patients who have CCs.