Cerebrovascular and metabolic perturbations in delayed heavy charged particle radiation injury

Focal heavy charged particle irradiation of the rabbit brain created defined lesions which were observable by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging techniques. The lesions appeared approximately 9-11 months after left partial hemibrain irradiation with 30 Gy (230 MeV/u helium ions), and were restricted to the white matter tracts and deep perithalamic and thalamic regions. 82Rubidium PET and Gadolinium DTPA enhanced NMR imaging were used to detect blood-brain barrier perturbations. 18Fluordeoxyglucose PET studies demonstrated widespread decreases in cerebral glucose uptake in the cortex and thalamus of the irradiated hemisphere. NMR and PET imaging results correlated well with histological findings. Rabbits irradiated with 15 Gy did not demonstrate any abnormalities in the brain with sequential NMR scans through 14 months post-irradiation.     

Enhanced take of spontaneous murine tumors in mice treated with inhibitors of macrophage and/or NK cell function

Both macrophages and NK cells have been suggested to play a role in recognizing and eliminating early, in situ neoplasms. Therefore we studied the effect of inhibitors of macrophage and/or NK cell function on the take of transplantable spontaneous murine tumors in syngeneic mice. The treatment of animals with trypan blue, a selective inhibitor of macrophage function, decreased considerably the period of latency of BSP3 adenocarcinoma; however, it did not increase the take of SP4, SP82 and SP84 adenocarcinomas. The treatment of recipients with neutral red, a selective inhibitor of NK cell function, enhanced the take of SP4 adenocarcinoma. The treatment of mice with agents depressing both macrophage and NK cell function (silica or carrageenan) decreased the both macrophage and NK cell function (silica or carrageenan) decreased the period of latency and/or increased the take of SP4, SP82 and SP84 adenocarcinomas. Carrageenan or a combined treatment with both trypan blue and neutral red also enhanced the take of BaF1, a benzo(a)pyrene-induced fibrosarcoma. We concluded that both macrophages and NK cells may function as effector cells of an antitumoral surveillance system.     

Atrial fibrillation in alcoholic lesion of the heart

Sixty chronic alcoholic patients, aged 35.6 +/- 0.7 years and an average alcoholic history of 9.3 +/- 0.5 years were examined. Atrial fibrillation was detected at 24 h ECG monitoring in 2 (3.45%) patients, and paroxysms of atrial fibrillation or flutter were detected by intracardiac electrophysiologic investigation in 6 (22.2%). Fourteen (44.8%) patients with alcoholic heart damage demonstrated atrial vulnerability, indicative of a predisposition to atrial fibrillation even at earlier stages of alcoholic heart damage.     

Blood alcohol level among emergency room patients: a multivariate analysis

This article examines the distribution of positive blood alcohol levels (BALs) among emergency room patients and the relationship between intoxication and other variables. Approximately one-quarter of the 640 subjects had positive blood alcohol levels and 16.3% had BAL readings above 0.10%, the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle in most states. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis indicated a significant relationship between employment status, gender, educational attainment, age and BAL. There were no significant racial differences. Analysis of the role of the presenting problem with BAL revealed that being involved in an accident was significantly predictive of a high BAL in a multivariate context. However, patients presenting with psychiatric problems had overall higher levels of intoxication than other patients. These findings have major implications for public policy formulation vis-à-vis public health delivery.     

Morphological findings during retinal development and maturation in hereditary rod-cone degeneration in Abyssinian cats

The sequence of structural changes involved in postnatal photoreceptor differentiation, maturation and early degeneration was studied in young Abyssinian cats and kittens with hereditary rod-cone degeneration and compared to maturation in normal controls. In affected cats the earliest change seen was disorientation of outer segment discs in the majority of the rods, while other rods appeared to develop and mature normally. Such disorientation of discs (at oblique angles or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the outer segment, or whorls of discs) is considered as 'immaturity', since controls also showed a substantial number of disoriented rod outer segment discs at this young age. At postnatal day 35 the difference between affected animals and controls was marked with a high frequency of immature appearing rod outer segment discs in affected animals, while all rod outer segment discs were adult-like and arranged in an orderly manner in controls. Cones seemed unaffected at this age. More severe changes in affected rod outer segments in the form of disintegration of discs (vacuolization and clumping of disc material, or formation of debris), which we consider to represent degeneration, were first observed at the time when retinal maturation normally occurs in the cat, i.e. 150 days postnatally. Subsequently a drop-out of rods was seen, primarily of rods with disoriented and disintegrated outer segment discs, followed by a slow, progressive degeneration of rods that had developed and matured normally. Cones appeared normal during the time of retinal development and maturation and it was not until the age of 2-3 years (Narfstr?m and Nilsson, 1986, Incest. Ophthalmol, Vis. Sci. 27, 1569-76) that degenerative changes were seen also in cones.     

A study on the metabolism of galactose cataract using a 31P-NMR spectroscopy

Using a 31P-NMR spectroscopy, we monitored the metabolic kinetics of energy organophosphate compound in rat lens during the process of generating galactose cataract. The most remarkable metabolic change in the earlier phase of galactose cataract formation was found in alpha-glycerophosphate. This increased significantly, as compared to controls, since the day 3 of giving feed containing 25% galactose. The high level lasted for up to three weeks, decrease followed by a gradual decrease and subsequently a significant decrease at five weeks. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) showed a significant decrease in the galactose group compared to the controls from two weeks after beginning of the experiment and the decrease continued. Inorganic orthophosphate increased gradually in the galactose group as compared to the controls, the increase being of significance at one week reading a maximum at two weeks followed by a subsegment decrease. Our basic study suggests that 31P-NMR spectroscopy is a useful technique in lens of the metabolic kinetics, to noninvasively determine the pathophysiology of galactose cataract, which has been studied biochemically and histologically.     

Viral hepatitis in the US Navy, 1975-1984

The epidemiology of viral hepatitis in US Navy enlisted personnel was reviewed for the years 1975-1984. Hospital discharge summaries of all active duty enlisted personnel admitted to a US Navy treatment facility were used for the study. From 1975 to 1984, total first hospitalizations for viral hepatitis declined from 128 per 100,000 personnel (95% confidence interval (Cl) 118-139) to 56 per 100,000 personnel (95% Cl 50-63). The highest incidence of acute viral hepatitis (115 per 100,000 personnel) was found in the youngest age groups aged 24 years and less. Risk factors for acute hepatitis included a previous hospitalization with either drug abuse (relative risk = 363) or a sexually transmitted disease (relative risk = 25) listed among the discharge diagnoses. Having a medical job classification was also associated with an increased risk of acute hepatitis. The steep decline in the incidence of viral hepatitis during this 10-year period may have been due to decreasing drug abuse in the US Navy. Immunization of high-risk groups in the US Navy with hepatitis B vaccine could be an effective policy for the prevention of acute viral hepatitis.