Survival of mouse L-929 cells following neutron irradiation.

Mouse L-929 cells were exposed in a monolayer to x rays and to a 3.5 MeV neutron beam for comparison of damage effects. Single dose experiments showed a radiobiological effectiveness of 1.5 for neutrons when compared to x rays. Both single and paired dose experiments indicated that the cells were unable to repair neutron-induced damage. Dinitrophenol was found to increase the survival of those cells irradiated with neutrons.     

Epidermolysis bullosa simplex generalisata: Importance of immunofluorescence studies in early diagnosis

Summary An unusual case of severe generalized epidermolysis bullosa (EB) simplex is described. Its severity, oral involvement and early milia formation suggested a dystrophic form of the disease, but early immunofluorescence studies on skin biopsy material using bullous pemphigoid (BP) serum clearly showed the level of cleavage to be superficial to the dermo-epidermal junction and microscopy confirmed this. The diagnosis of EB simplex was thus quickly established allowing conservative treatment to be pursued with confidence, and preventing unnecessary exposure of the child to systemic corticoid or phenytoin therapy.     

The effects of scheduling format and booster sessions on a broad-spectrum psychosocial approach to smoking prevention

The effectiveness of a fifteen session psychosocial smoking prevention strategy was tested on 902 seventh graders from seven junior high schools in suburban New York over 2 years. The prevention program was implemented by regular classroom teachers and consisted of a cognitive component dealing with the immediate consequences of cigarette smoking, a decision-making component, a relaxation-training component, a social skills training component, and a self-improvement component. In addition to testing the overall effectiveness of this approach, the relative efficacy of two different scheduling formats was compared and the extent to which “booster” sessions conducted during the year after completion of the program helped to maintain reductions in new smoking was also examined. Results indicated that the prevention program was able to reduce new cigarette smoking by 50% at the end of the first year and by 55% at the end of the second year for the intensive format condition. New regular cigarette smoking was reduced by 87% in the second year for the students in the booster condition. Significant changes consistent with nonsmoking were also evident on several cognitive, attitudinal, and personality variables.     

Metrizamide epidurography in dogs

Metrizamide, a non-ionic water-soluble contrast agent, was injected into the epidural spaces of 6 dogs to see if the posterior border of the L7-S1 interspace could be outlined. Between two and six Metrizamide epidurograms were obtained on each dog. The L7-S1 interspaces were usually well outlined. No complications were experienced by the dogs. The dogs were sacrificed at intervals between 3 days and 42 days following their last epidurogram in order to examine the epidural tissues for inflammatory changes. No histologic differences were observed between the control and experimental dogs.