Proteins induced in BHK cells by infection with foot-and-mouth desease virus.

Although the infection of BHK cells with foot-and-mouth disease virus did not cause a marked inhibition of cellular protein synthesis, the proteins synthesized gradually changed from host-specific to virus-specific. The synthesis of at least thirteen virus-induced proteins was demonstrated by polyacrylamide electrophoretic analysis of the infected cells. Only a small proportion of the virus-induced proteins was incorporated into the mature virus particles. The addition of amino acid analogues caused an accumulation of the larger mol. wt. proteins, suggesting that in infected cells, some cleavages occurred, giving rise to the smaller mol. wt. proteins. The operation of the precursor-cleavage mechanism was more clearly shown in pulse-chase experiments, in which it was found that the proteins were degraded from larger to smaller mol. wt.     

Gonocytes in fetal guinea pig testes: Phagocytosis of degenerating gonocytes by Sertoli cells

In fetal testes of non-inbred guinea pigs, virus-like particles were seen in the primordial germ cells, but not in the somatic cells. Using the particles as a marker for the gonocytes it was possible to trace the phagocytosis of degenerating gonocytes by the Sertoli cells in the fetal testis.     

The libidinal cocoon: a nurturing retreat for the families of plane crash victims

In 1985 the families of 137 passengers killed when a Delta Airlines jet crashed at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport stayed in a secluded hotel while waiting for the victims' bodies to be retrieved and identified. In this protected environment, which the author calls the "libidinal cocoon," the families received intensive nurturing from the author, a Dallas psychiatrist; a team of Red Cross nurses; hotel staff; airline representatives; clergy; and each other. The supportive environment allowed the families to regress safely and to satisfy the basic yearning, intensified in times of personal loss, for an idealized caretaker who will meet all one's needs. The author believes this kind of intervention may be useful in future disasters with massive casualties.     

Instabilities of the wrist

Carpal instability is the result of ligamentous injury to the wrist. Although any ligament may be injured, certain recurring patterns are frequently seen. Common to the treatment of all instability patterns is the need to transfer load from the capitate to the radius: reliably, without stressing normal joints, and while preserving functional motion. Limited wrist arthrodesis fulfills these needs. The radius and carpal bones are shaped so that in their "normal" position, they are preloaded. Were it not for complex ligamentous systems, the bones would immediately assume unloaded "neutral anatomic" positions. Because the shape of the wrist bones tends to displace them with significant forces, current ligamentous reconstructions are inadequate. Common radial side instabilities invariably lead to degenerative arthritis.     

Levels and causes of stress among residents

Medical and dental residents at the University of Rochester Medical Center were surveyed to measure stress and its causes. Their stress, as measured by the brief symptom inventory, showed levels slightly above those of an adult comparison group. The average levels of stress decreased with the residents' advancing levels of training. Comparison of the top quartile with the lowest quartile of scores of everyday stress showed significantly elevated stress for rotations in the emergency room, greater frequency of being on call, and lesser amount of sleep. The residents' reports showed that the bleakest three days of residency tended to occur in the first year and during intensive care rotations. Stress during these bleakest times was significantly higher than everyday levels. The residents described the major causes of distress during bleakest times as lack of sleep, inadequate support from senior professionals, large patient load, and competition from peers. "High quality" teaching rounds, a night-float system, and sick leave were felt by the residents to lessen stress. To cope with the stress, the residents reported they talked to others, tried to see humor in the situation, or slept.     

The mechanical integrity of healed diaphyseal bone defects grafted with calcium hydroxyapatite/calcium triphosphate ceramic in a new animal model

The need for an animal model to test bone graft materials simulating a weight bearing clinical situation is identified. The concept, design and operative detail of a new model is described. This model involved the creation of a mid-diaphyseal wedge defect in the femur of the adult beagle which separated both cortices, plating with a six-hole dynamic compression plate, and allowed immediate full weight bearing. At six months plates were removed and immediate weight bearing was allowed for an additional six months to sacrifice. The initial animal project utilizing this model to evaluate a hydroxyapatite based synthetic graft material was performed using 12 dogs. In addition to the operative procedure, the retrieval testing in torsion of 12 healed grafted bones and their 12 contralateral unoperated controls is described and evaluated. Results showed no statistically significant difference between the torsional strength of test and control femurs (p less than or equal to 0.05). In addition, the future development of the model is discussed.     

Induction of Alzheimer antigens by an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation

Since previous studies have suggested that the coupling of oxidation to phosphorylation is impaired in Alzheimer brain and fibroblasts, the effects of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, a hydrazone known to uncouple mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, were tested on the development of immunoreactivity with antibodies to "Alzheimer antigens" in cultured fibroblasts from cognitively intact subjects. The fibroblasts were exposed for 10 to 14 days to a medium (DMd) modeled on media that favor neuronal differentiation in fetal brain cultures. The addition of a 10-microns concentration of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone to the DMd culture medium increased by more than 10-fold the proportion of cells reacting immunocytochemically with antibodies to paired helical filaments and by 157-fold the proportion of cells reacting with the Alz-50 monoclonal antibody. These observations suggest that the oxidative abnormalities previously described in tissues from patients with Alzheimer's disease may contribute to the accumulation of abnormal cytoskeletal materials in this disorder.