A note on the description of pain and its causes

The adjectives used by 72 psychiatric patients to describe pain were examined. Patients with physical lesions tended to have physical precipitants and physical relieving factors. Patients with psychologically based pain often recognized both physical and emotional preciptation. Most adjectives used were sensory rather than affective or evaluative.     

Cerebrocortical necrosis in ruminants: an attempt to identify the source of thiaminase in affected animals.

We have calculated that the high thiaminase activity in the rumen of CCN-affected animals could degrade all the thiamine usually ingested and synthesized.We have confirmed that thiaminase-producing B. thiaminolyticus and Cl. sporogenes can be isolated from heat-treated rumen contents of CCN-affected sheep and cattle. The thiaminase from cultures of these bacteria is more active with the co-substrates pyridine, 3-picoline and pyridoxine than with aniline, whereas with the thiaminase from rumen fluid and faecal extracts the converse is true. The thiaminase of faecal extracts can use certain pyrrole and imidazole derivatives as co-substrates whereas the bacterial thiaminases cannot. There are also marked differences in membrane filtration, gel filtration, electrophoretic mobility and pH dependence. We conclude that neither B. thiaminolyticus nor Cl. sporogenes is the real source of rumen thiaminase.     

Lymphoid antigenic determinants of the chicken. Cellular representation and tissue localization.

Antisera were prepared against a variety of chicken tissues with a view to detecting antigens specific for subpopulations of T and B cells at different maturation stages. By appropriate absorption analysis, the following antigens were defined: (a) thymus organ-specific antigen (CTOA); (b) T lymphocyte-specific antigen (CTLA); (c) B lymphocyte-specific antigen (CBLA); (d) mature B lymphocyte-specific antigen (CMBLA); (e) a foetal-associated antigen (CFAA) present on embryonic haemopoietic cells, and adult bone marrow and immature bursa cells, suggesting the cell types concerned may be at an early stage of development, possibly including precursors. For comparison with the above antigens, cells were also examined for surface Ig and IgG. T cells were found in periarteriolar sheaths in the spleen, and predominantly in the sub-epithelium and sub-mucosa of the caecal tonsil of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). B cells were localized in periellipsoidal sheaths and germinal centres in the spleen, and in primary follicles or germinal centres in the GALT. The thymic and bursal medullas contained the mature populations of T and B lymphocytes respectively.     

Pathology of acute inhalation exposure to 3-methylfuran in the rat and hamster

The acute inhalation toxicity of 3-methylfuran (3MF) was investigated in SPF Fischer-derived and CD/CR rats, and golden Syrian hamsters by determination of the 2-week LC50, and by histologic examination of animals killed 1, 3, and 14 days following a 1-hr exposure to 148 and 322 mumole 3MF/liter for CD/CR rats and hamsters, respectively. The Fischer-derived rat was more sensitive to 3MF-induced lethality than the CD/CR rat with an LC50 in the male rat of 81 mumole/liter-1 hr as compared to 222 mumole/liter-1 hr. No sex difference was found. The hamster was relatively resistant with no lethality at 322 mumole 3MF/liter-2 hr. Pulmonary damage was present in both species. In the hamster, selective necrosis of nonciliated bronchiolar epithelial (Clara) cells was seen at 1 day with virtually complete regeneration by 14 days whereas in the rat the bronchiolar epithelial damage was more extensive and was followed by scattered peribronchiolar fibrosis and epithelial mucous metaplasia suggestive of "small airway disease" of man. Relatively selective 3MF-induced necrosis of olfactory epithelium occurred in the nasal mucosa of both species. Resolution of this lesion was seen by 14 days in the hamster. In the rat, however, the necrosis was much more extensive and was followed by partially occlusive fibrosis of the nasal cavity as seen at 14 days. 3MF also induced centrilobular hepatic necrosis in both species. In the rat, lymphocyte necrosis in the thymus and spleen, and esophageal necrosis was also seen.