Computed tomographic investigation of the effect of traction on lumbar disc herniations

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of static horizontal traction on disc herniations by computed tomographic investigation. Changes occurring under the effect of a traction load of 45 kg have been evaluated in 30 patients with lumbar disc herniation. The herniated nuclear material (HNM) has retracted in 11 (78.5%) of median, six (66.6%) of posterolateral, and four (57.1%) of lateral herniations. Clinical response of these cases to conservative treatment varied with the amount and location of HNM, the retraction of HNM, and calcification of protruded disc. Static lumbar traction showed variable effects on lumbar disc herniations, especially in relation with the amount and location of HNM.     

Synchronous primary malignant neoplasms of colon and bladder.

Extracolonic and synchronous malignancies are rare in colorectal carcinomas. We report a 68-year-old man with complaints of rectal bleeding and hematuria. Endoscopic biopsies revealed synchronous adenocarcinoma of the colon and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The patient was started on chemotherapy, and is alive (with disease) nine months later.     

Depression and the perception of social skill in dyadic interaction

Increasing attention is being given to the elucidation of interpersonal processes in depression. The present study was designed to examine the accuracy of depressives' self-perceptions of their social competence. In addition, depressed subjects' perceptions of others with whom they interacted, and these others' perceptions of their depressed partners, were also assessed. Finally, the self-perceptions of nondepressed individuals following interactions with depressed subjects were examined. Depressed and nondepressed subjects were observed and rated in dyadic interactions with other nondepressed subjects, and postinteraction competence ratings of all participants were obtained from the subjects, their partners, and external observers. Analyses indicated that although the depressed subjects rated themselves as less socially competent than did nondepressed subjects, neither the ratings made by the subjects' partners nor those made by the observers discriminated between the depressed and nondepressed subjects. In addition, the depressed subjects rated their partners as lower in social competence than did the nondepressed subjects, and interestingly, the partners of the depressed subjects rated themselves as lower in social skill following the interaction than did the partners of the nondepressed subjects. Finally, the observer ratings of all participants were significantly lower than the participants' ratings of themselves. The results are discussed with respect to previous investigations in this area, and directions for future research are suggested.This research was supported by an Ontario Mental Health Foundation Research Grant to the first author.     

Action of hydrolyzed cisplatin and some analogs on microtubule protein polymerization in vitro

The inhibition of tubulin microtubule polymerization by cisplatin was investigated. The interaction was monitored by turbidity measurements and electron microscopy. For a 2.5 x 10(-5) M concentration of cisplatin, the inhibition at 37 degrees C was nearly 50% after 1 hour of incubation and 80% after 2 hours. A similar but lesser effect was observed after incubation at 4 degrees C. One analog of cisplatin, sulfato-aqua(1,2)diamminocyclohexane platinum II, showed the same inhibition effect.     

Age-related impaired affinity maturation and differential D-JH gene usage in human VH6-expressing B lymphocytes from healthy individuals

To elucidate the basic molecular events underlying humoral immunity during ontogeny and senescence, we analyzed a panel of 179 polymerase chain reaction-derived VH6-D-JH rearrangements from cord blood, peripheral blood, and spleen. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the CDR3 region shows that there is a difference in D and JH gene usage in functional rearrangements between lymphocytes from peripheral blood and spleen. Analysis of the VH6 gene shows that the mutational frequencies rise from 0.81% in cord blood to 1.96% in peripheral blood lymphocytes derived from young adults, and decrease to 0.80% in samples from individuals older than 50 years. The number of rearrangements carrying mutations follows a similar pattern: 22% in cord blood, 73% in the age group 20–49 years, and 57% in the age group over 50 years. The mutational frequencies among the mutated genes are, however, similar for cord blood and young adults, 2.76% and 2.51%, respectively, and 1.3% in older adults. These data show an age-related impaired affinity maturation which might relate to the decrease in immunological responsiveness among the elderly.