Method of quantitative anatomical study of the dorsal neck muscles

Summary Biomechanical models of the cervical spine require knowledge of the position, size and orientation of the individual muscles that act on the cervical spine. We have developed a technique to stereometrically measure anatomical specimens. The apparatus is composed of three graduated metallic rods, which slide along a fixed support. This method is accurate to map the anatomy of individual muscles and provides quantitative data on their lines of action. Results are obtained from one specimen. The computer processing of the collected data allows formulation of a three-dimensional model of the neck muscles in man.

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Méthode d'étude anatomique quantitative des muscles de la nuqueEtude préliminaire

Résumé Pour élaborer un modèle biomécanique de la colonne cervicale, il faut connaître la position, la taille et l'orientation des différents muscles du cou. Nous avons mis au point une méthode de mesure stéréométrique sur des sujets anatomiques. L'appareil est composé de 3 axes métalliques gradués qui coulissent sur un support fixe. Cette technique permet une étude anatomique précise de chacun des muscles de la nuque, fournissant des données quantitatives sur les différents faisceaux ou lignes d'action. Les résultats sont obtenus sur un sujet. Leur traitement informatique permettra l'élaboration d'un modèle mathématique tridimensionnel des muscles du cou chez l'homme.

     

Two myeloma globulins, IgG1-kappa and IgG1-lambda, from a single patient (Im). I. Purification and immunochemical characterization

Electrophoretic analysis of the serum from a patient Im suffering from a multiple myeloma revealed the existence of two abnormal bands. Purification of these two fractions on a DEAE—cellulose column showed that both fractions had the same sedimentation coefficient (7S), belonged to the same class (IgG), and subclass (γl) and bore the same allotype (Gm₁). However, the heavy (H) chains of one immunoglobulin were associated with type κ light (L) chains whereas those of the other were associated with type λ L chains.Three individual antigenic determinants were found in these two proteins. One was common to the H chains of both proteins and the other two were each specific to one of the L chains. These results suggest that the myeloma cells of patient (Im) were able to produce at least three polypeptide chains, one H chain and two different types of L chains.     

Predominance of capsular polysaccharide type 5 among oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The relationship between capsular polysaccharide types 5 and 8 and resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to oxacillin was studied with a collection of 406 clinical isolates from six French hospitals. Of 175 type 5 isolates, 84 (48%) were resistant to oxacillin. In contrast, only 8 of 160 type 8 isolates (5%) and 5 of 71 nontypeable isolates (7%) were resistant to oxacillin. Therefore, capsular typing of clinical isolates of S. aureus may facilitate the choice of first-line antibiotic therapy.     

Antenatal differentiation of the human intervertebral disc

Summary To study the antenatal differentiation of the human intervertebral disc, the columns of forty eight embryos and fetuses were examined histologically. The primitive disc is composed of two structures: the notochord which shows a progressive expansion into the disc, and the fibrocartilaginous perinotochordal disc. No histological sign of interaction between notochordal and perinotochordal cells, which may explain the notochordal expansion into the discs, was seen. On the other hand, the notochordal intervention in the cartilaginous differentiation of the inner zone is probable.

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Différenciation anténatale du disque intervertébral humain

Résumé Cette étude de la différenciation anténatale du disque intervertébral humain repose sur l'examen de coupes histologiques de quarante huit colonnes vertébrales d'embryons et de foetus. Le disque primitif est composé de deux structures : la notochorde, qui présente une expansion progressive de son diamètre au sein du disque, et le disque périnotochordal, d'abord mésenchymateux puis fibrocartilagineux. Il n'a pas été mis en évidence de signe histologique témoignant d'une interaction entre les cellules notochordales et les cellules périnotochordales qui puisse expliquer l'expansion de la notochorde au sein des disques. Le rôle de la notochorde dans la différenciation cartilagineuse de la zone centrale est par contre probable.

     

Human myeloma light chains with increased molecular weight: high frequency among lambda chains

The discovery of a human myeloma protein comprising a kappa L-chain with an increased mol. wt of 30,000) (Bouvet et. al., 1980) prompted investigations on the incidence of such heavier L-chains among other human myeloma proteins. In 105 samples examined, 34 were found to have L-chains heavier than normal (23,000-24,000), ranging from 25,000 up to 31,000, and five of lighter mol. wt (21,000-22,000). These mol. wt abnormalities were detected by electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate 10% polyacrylamide gels (SDS-PAGE) after reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol. The mol. wt of three of the heavier kappa or lambda chains was also estimated by filtration through a Sephadex G100 column and by sedimentation equilibrium. All three methods indicated a mol. wt increase of about 15-25% as compared with the usual mol. wt. The distribution of the high mol. wt chains among all L-chains examined was found to be 11 out of 62 kappa chains (17.7%) and 23 out of 43 lambda chains (53%) (P less than 0.001). A preferential association of such L-chains with H-chains producing multiple bands in SDS-PAGE (P less than 0.01) and an association between multiple L-chain and multiple H-chain band (P less than 0.05) were also observed. In contrast, no abnormal L-chain was found in immunoglobulins from normal subjects. Spontaneous degradation of the normal H-chains sometimes yielded fragments of 30,000 mol. wt. These fragments were easily distinguishable from abnormal L-chains. The nature of extra mol. wt in heavy L-chains was investigated for the presence of carbohydrate moiety. Four large and three normal size L-chains were examined for amino-sugar and sialic acid content. A small amount (one residue per molecule) of amino-sugar was detected only in two normal and two heavy L-chains, whereas sialic acid was only found in the heaviest (27,000-30,000) L-chains (Lh) and in small percentage (one or two residues per molecule). Total sugar estimation in one Lh chain indicated a proportion not exceeding three or four residues per L-chain (mol. wt 1,000) and this is insufficient to explain the 15-25% (3,600-6,000) mol. wt increase. It is therefore possible that, at least in some heavy myeloma L-chains, an additional peptide is expressed. Whatever the nature of the increase it would be of interest to elucidate whether this is a marker of malignant process or of an intermediate step of normal Ig synthesis.     

温血心停跳液与冷晶体心停跳液对狗心率变异性的影响

为探讨体外循环（ＣＰＢ）导致心脏植物神经系统（ＣＡＳ）损伤的机理,了解温血心停跳液能否防止ＣＰＢ后心率变异性（ＨＲＶ）的降低,采用对照方法观察了温血心停跳液与冷晶体心停跳液对狗ＨＲＶ的影响。结果显示：ＣＰＢ后温血心停跳液组（ＷＢ组）和冷晶体心停跳液组（ＣＣ组）的全频谱（ＴＰ）、低频（ＬＦ）和高频（ＨＦ）均较术前明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０５）,而且ＣＣ组比ＷＢ组降低更明显（Ｐ＜０．０５）,但ＬＦ／ＨＦ在组内及组间均无明显变化（Ｐ＞０．０５）。ＣＰＢ后２４小时平均心率（ＭＨＲ）明显增加（Ｐ＜０．０５）,且ＣＣ组高于ＷＢ组（Ｐ＜０．０５）。本研究表明：采用温血心停跳液或冷晶体心停跳液的ＣＰＢ不会干扰ＣＡＳ平衡,但均能使ＨＲＶ降低,温血心停跳液不能防止ＨＲＶ损害。     

Headache and family history

In two headache questionnaire surveys we inquired about the occurrence of headache in the mothers, fathers, siblings and children of the respondents. In total, 633 people completed valid questionnaires, 260 in the first survey and 373 in the second. The hypothesis was that familial headache occurrence would be positively associated with headache frequency. In each survey, the regression of headache frequency on the number of parents having headache was highly significant. Neither sex nor the sibling and children variables were significant predictors. In the cross-tabulations of the parental occurrence of headache with headache frequency we saw a clear "break-point" between the "no headache" and the headache frequency categories studied. For the final analyses the dichotomy "headache/no headache" was related in fourfold tables to headache occurrence in the father and the mother separately, and to the number of headache parents. The positive associations were not simply due to the large number of migraine cases since they remained after removing the migraineurs.     

Involvement of deprivation and environmental lead in neural tube defects: a matched case-control study

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the prevalence of neural tube defects in small geographical areas and seek to explain any spatial variations with reference to environmental lead and deprivation. SETTING: The Fylde of Lancashire in the north west of England. DESIGN: Cases were ascertained as part of a prospective survey of major congenital malformations in babies born in the Fylde to residents there between 1957 and 1981. A matched case-control analysis used infants with cardiovascular system, alimentary tract, and urinary system malformations as controls. Conditional logistic regression was used to assess the effects of more than 10 micrograms/l lead in drinking water and the Townsend deprivation score. RESULTS: The prevalence of neural tube defects in 1957-73 was higher in Blackpool, Fleetwood, and North Fylde, whereas the three control groups showed no significant spatial variation. In 1957-81 mothers living in electoral wards with either a higher proportion of houses with more than 10 micrograms/l lead in the water or a higher deprivation score had a greater risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. For spina bifida and cranium bifidum alone, this was also true. For anencephaly, deprivation was less important although the effect of lead was still seen. In some neural tube defects, lead may act independently of other possible factors associated with deprivation. It seemed unlikely that lead levels changed significantly during the survey. The percentage of houses with 10 micrograms/l or more of lead in the water in 1984-5 was similar to that found in Great Britain 10 years previously. CONCLUSION: There is evidence to suggest that lead is one cause of neural tube defects, especially anencephaly. This could link the known preventive actions of hard water and folic acid. Calcium is a toxicological antagonist of lead. One cause of a deficiency of folic acid is impaired absorption secondary to zinc deficiency, which may be produced or exacerbated by lead.