IMPEDANCE PNEUMOGRAPHY FOR THE DETECTION OF ABNORMAL BREATHING PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH BRAIN DAMAGE

Abnormal breathing patterns are readily recognised using impedance pneumography at the bedside, but are easily overlooked by visual observation. An apnœa monitor and pen recorder provide a safe and simple system which, although not producing quantitative measurements, reflects changes in tidal volume. Of 61 patients with acute brain damage, more than half had abnormal breathing patterns, which may be of localising or prognostic value.     

HBs Antigen in Human Plasma Fractions

Therapeutic fractions were obtained by fractionating human plasma containing HBs antigen, by the Cohn ethanol technique modified by Nitschmann. Plasmas with various HBs antigen titers were selected. The antigen was sought in each fraction by the techniques of counterelectrophoresis and radioimmunological detection in liquid phase. With the exception of very pure albumins, all fractions were found to contain the HBs antigen, though in variable proportions. A technique for the purification of albumin, applicable on an industrial scale, is proposed. It makes it possible to obtain an albumin fraction in which the HBs antigen cannot be detected by the most sensitive techniques, even starting with a plasma which is very rich in HBs antigen (titer 1/64 by counterelectrophoresis).     

Dark adaptation in diabetes mellitus.

The effect of diabetes mellitus on the normal dark adaptation curve is investigated. It has been found that diabetic patients take longer to adapt and that their absolute thresholds are raised. The degree of elevation in the final threshold correlates with the duration of diabetes.     

T Cell Dependence of Macrophage Activation and Mobilization During Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mice made T cell-deficient as adults by thymectomy and lethal irradiation, and infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, showed a greatly reduced capacity to develop nonspecific resistance to challenge with a heterologous bacterium. The capacity to develop nonspecific resistance was restored, however, by an infusion of syngeneic thymocytes. Evidence was presented which showed that the capacity of mycobacteria-infected mice to resist a lethal challenge with a heterologous organism rested on the capacity of macrophages existing at the time of challenge to reduce the number of challenge organisms to a sublethal level within 8 h. This antibacterial activity of macrophages was substantially reduced in T cell-deficient mice but could be restored by an infusion of syngeneic thymocytes. It was concluded that T cell-deficient mice have a reduced capacity to mobilize and activate macrophages because of their reduced capacity to respond immunologically to antigens of M. tuberculosis.