Heritability and clinical features of multigenerational families with obsessive-compulsive disorder and hoarding.

To date, only one complete genome screen for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been published. That study identified a region of suggestive linkage (maximum lod score of 2.25) with a relatively small sample size (N = 56; 27 with OCD). Additional complete genome screens are needed to confirm this finding and identify other regions of linkage. We present the clinical characteristics and power to detect linkage of 11 multigenerational families with OCD and hoarding (N = 92; 44 with OCD), as well as heritability estimates for several quantitative traits. Families with at least two individuals with OCD were identified through probands with childhood-onset OCD. Expected lod scores were calculated for simulated genetic marker data under an additive and two dominant models assuming a dense SNP marker map. All affected individuals had an early age of onset (18 or younger). Hoarding was present in 46% of subjects. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and hoarding were highly heritable. The maximum mean expected lod score was 3.31 for OCD and 1.39 for hoarding. We found reasonable power to detect regions of interest (lod = 2) for OCD in these families, but will need to expand our family collection to have adequate power to detect regions of interest for hoarding.     

Comparative nasal absorption of allergens in atopic and nonatopic subjects.

Based on sensitization following intranasal antigen administration, previous investigations have suggested greater absorption of allergens through the nasal mucous membranes of atopic than of nonatopic subjects. In this study mucosal absorption was assessed more directly by determining the capacity of allergens applied intranasally to elicit cutaneous Prausnitz-Küstner (P-K) reactions in nonatopic persons as compared with asymptomatic atopic subjects sensitive to other allergens. Two series of reaginic human serum dilutions were injected intracutaneously in recipients backs, and 48 hours later one series was challenged intracutaneously with test allergen. After the responses had been recorded, concentrated allergenic extract was sprayed into the nose and the second series of P-K sites observed for reactivity. Sometimes these P-K sites were rechallenged intracutaneously the following day to determine passive transfer neutralization. Two allergens were studied: bovine ribonuclease (RNase) and peanut extract. Two sera containing peanut reagins and one with RNase antibodies were each used in 10 to 11 atopic and 9 to 11 nonatopic recipients. The atopic group failed to show greater or more rapid absorption of either allergen through the nose based on the highest serum dilution reacting after nasal challenge. the speed of the reaction, the ratio of the titer by nasal challenge to the intracutaneous titer, or passive transfer neutralization. Controls showed that the results were not influenced by systemic absorption of allergen employed for intracutaneous tests. Drinking the amount of peanut extract applied intranasally did not elicit P-K reactions.     

An outbreak of amebiasis spread by colonic irrigation at a chiropractic clinic

From June 1978 through December 1980, at least 36 cases of amebiasis occurred in persons who had had colonic-irrigation therapy at a chiropractic clinic in western Colorado. Of 10 persons who required colectomy, six did. Of 176 persons who had been to the clinic in the last four months of 1980, 80 had received other forms of treatment. Twenty-one per cent of the colonic-irrigation group had bloody diarrhea, as compared with 1 per cent of the non-irrigation group (P = 0.00013). Thirty-seven per cent of the colonic-irrigation group who submitted specimens had evidence of amebic infection on either stool examination or serum titer, as compared with 2.4 per cent in the non-irrigation group (P = 0.00012). Persons who were given colonic irrigation immediately after a person with bloody diarrhea received it were at the highest risk for the development of amebiasis. Tests of the colonic-irrigation machine after routine cleaning showed heavy contamination with fecal coliform bacteria. The severity of disease in this outbreak may have been related to the route of inoculation.     

Geneticists' views on science policy formation and public outreach

Though much research about the public's views of scientists, genetic research and its moral, ethical, and social implications exists, little has been done to investigate how scientists view their own role(s) in public discussions and policy formation related to genetic research and technologies. We interviewed 20 academic geneticists in the United States about their perceptions of the roles they and others (e.g., professional societies, the public, ethicists, and elected officials) do and should play in the formation of science policy, the communication of science to the public, and the public discussions of moral and ethical issues raised by scientific advances. The participants in our study thought that scientists should be more actively involved in public outreach and science policy formation, but frequently they felt ill-equipped and unsupported by their peers and institutions to pursue these activities. Furthermore, many were skeptical of or did not trust elected officials--who they consider uninformed about the issues and too driven by political agendas--to formulate sound science policy. They do, however, have faith in the ability of scientific societies to influence policy effectively, and some thought that societies should play a larger role, both in science policy and as a liaison between scientists and the public. Finally, participants offered suggestions for increasing the involvement and influence of scientists in science-policy formation and public discourse.     

Single-tube mixed agglutination test for the detection of staphylococcal protein A.

A simple, rapid mixed agglutination test using sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) sensitized with rabbit hemolysin and intact viable staphylococci is described for the detection of bound staphylococcal protein A. Soluble protein A was heat extracted from 50 clinical isolates as well as the Cowan I and Wood 46 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and titered by a hemagglutination test using sensitized SRBC and dilutions of soluble protein A. Protein A could be detected in all of these supernatants including that of S. aureus Wood 46, a strain generally considered to be protein A negative. These organisms were later retested by the mixed agglutination test and even those staphylococcal isolates expressing very low heat-extractable soluble protein A concentrations (1:2 titers) were positive, confirming the sensitivity of the test. In a screen of clinical isolates, only 4 of 235 (1.8%) coagulase-positive isolates were negative in the mixed agglutination test. Of 25 coagulase-negative isolates, none yielded a positive reaction.     

218. Prostaglandin E I verhindert die Aspirin-bedingte Ischämie der Magenmucosa; ein Mechanismus der Cytoprotektion?

Zusammenfassung Der Mechanismus der Cytoprotektion von Prostaglandin (PG) auf die Magenmucosa ist unbekannt. Anaesthesierte Kaninchen erhielten in der Gruppe (GR) I (n=8) im. Aspirin (ASA) (100 mg/kg als Bolus, 66 mg/kg/h kontinuierlich) in der GR 11 (n=10) NaCI und in der GR III (n=7) zusätzlich zum ASA, PGE I (0,1 g/kg/min) als Infusion über 120 min. Der Mucosa-Blutfluß (MBF) wurde mit radioaktiven Mikrosphären gemessen. In der GR I fiel der MBF nach 15 min um 72,3+3,8% (+ SEM) und nach 120 min um 73,1+3,8% (p 0,05 gegen % Änderung in GR II und III). Nach 120 min zeigte sich in der GR I 19,8 + 7,6% der Fundusmucosa hämorrhagisch, in der GR 11 6,1 +5,2% und in der GR 1112,0+ 1,4% (p 0,05 gegen GR II und III). Wir schließen, daß der cytoprotektive Effekt des PGE I auf einer Aufhebung der ASA bedingten Mucosaischämie beruht.     

Genetic Analysis Workshop II: pedigree analysis of a binary trait without assuming an underlying liability

A model for concordance in a binary measure that does not rely on the assumption of an underlying latent liability dichotomized about a threshold has been demonstrated for twin pairs [Hannah et al, 1983]. It is extended here to pedigrees of arbitrary structure by making an assumption that is, for small incidence rates, almost equivalent to postulating that relative risks are multiplicative. The model is applied to the workshop data to determine the extent to which the known structure of the simulated models can be recovered.