Topographic analysis of areas of negative and positive reinforcement in the central grey matter of the rat (author's transl)

Utilization of a movable electrode has permitted an analysis of areas of negative reinforcement (switch-off response) and areas of positive reinforcement (self-stimulation responses), as well as the behavioral effects of a simultaneous activation of systems of negative and positive reinforcement at the ambivalent sites of a junction-area. Within the areas of reinforcement, gradients were uncovered in the rates of both switch-off and self-stimulation responses.     

Erfahrungen mit einem neuen Teststreifen zur Blutzuckerbestimmung

Zusammenfassung Der Teststreifen Hämo-Glucotest wurde an 643 stationär und ambulant behandelten Diabetikern erprobt. Als objektiver Vergleich dienten die Blutzuckerbestimmungen nachHoffmann im Autoanalyzer. Die Behandlung der ambulanten Patienten wurde nach den Ergebnissen des Hämo-Glucotest vor Kenntnis der Autoanalyzerbestimmung festgelegt. 80% der geschätzten Werte wichen um weniger als ± 20 mg-% von den durch Autoanalyzer bestimmten Blutzuckerwerten ab. Die nach den Testergebnissen vorläufig festgelegte Therapie der ambulanten Patienten brauchte nur in 6% der Fälle korrigiert zu werden. Die Genauigkeit der Bestimmung ist von den Beleuchtungsverhältnissen während des Tests und vom Farbunterscheidungsvermögen des Untersuchers abhängig. Der Teststreifen eignet sich nicht nur zur Erfassung von Hypo- und Hyperglykämien, sondern auch für eine orientierende Blutzuckerbestimmung bei der ambulanten Einstellungskontrolle von Diabetikern.

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Summary Experiences with a New Test-strip for Bloodsugar Determination. Blood-sugar values were estimated in 643 in- and out-patients with the new test-strip Haemo-Glucotest. Blood-sugar determinations performed with the Auto-Analyzer (Hoffmann) served as an objective control. The treatment of out-patients was determined according to the values of the Haemo-Glucotest strip and before the Auto-Analyzer results arrived. 80% of the estimated values varied from the Auto-Analyzer results by less than ± 20 mg-%. Preliminary therapy had to be modified in only 6% of the patients. The precision of the determination depends upon illumination and the ability for color discrimination of the person working with the test-strip. The Haemo-Glucotest strip is not only suitable for detection of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, but also for control of therapy in diabetic out-patients.

     

Vergleichende rasterelektronenmikroskopische Knochenuntersuchungen bei primärem und sekundärem Hyperparathyreoidismus

Summary Stereoscopic structures of cancellous bone of human vertebral bodies were studied with a scanning electron microcope at autopsy of 2 cases of primary and 4 of secondary hyperparathyreoidism.One principle finding are enlarged resorbing surfaces all over numerous bone trabeculae.There is a compensatory activity of forming surfaces, which brings about mineralizing fronts and extended active osteoid seams. Active fiber osteoid predominates in cases with secondary (renal). HPT. No morphological differences can be demonstrated on bone trabeculae of dialyzed or non-dialyzed patients.These results are in a certain contrast to SEM findings in rat parietal bone after experimental PTH administration, which showed a striking increase of resting surfaces. These short-term animal experiments, however, are not really comparable to human chronic hyperparathyreoidism.The osteocytes of lamellar compact bone prove to be enlarged in cases of primary and secondary hyperparathyreoidism as compared to specimens of normal compact bone. The difference is slight but is statistically significant. We explain this not as periosteocytic osteolysis but as an effect of the disturbed maturation brought about by defective mineralization of the osteocyte capsules.

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Mit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft. Herrn Dr. med. Bernhard Karhoff zum 60. Geburtstag.     

Is the primary lesion in Behcet's disease a venous "tropism" vascularity? (author's transl)]

The authors studied eight cases of Behcet's disease, all of which were characterized by different degrees of phlebitis disorders. They also reviewed the anatomical and clinical features of a similar type, reported in the published literature. They stress the frequency and severity of changes in the veins in the localization of the various symptomatic lesions of the affection. From these results, they conclude that the primary lesion in this disease could be a phenomenon of vascularity of mainly venous-"tropism" which would explain the proteiform clinical features of Behcet's aphthosis.     

Caractéristiques fonctionnelles des systèmes de renforcement: Étude comportementale

The refractory period of fibers involved in the elicitation of escape and approach responses induced by medial hypothalamic or central gray stimulation was studied by means of measuring these responses as function of the intrapair interval of stimulating pulse pairs. It appeared from the variation of the induced switch-off responses that fibers which mediate the aversive effects of a stimulation of these periventricular structures have a refractory period close to 0.6 msec (Experiment 1). The variation of both switch-off and self-stimulation responses was studied at medial hypothalamic sites; fibers involved in the mediation of aversive effects were again shown to have a refractory period close to 0.6 msec, whereas fibers involved in the mediation of appetitive effects were shown to have refractory periods varying between 0.4 and 1.2 msec according to the site of stimulation (Experiment 2). The latter results were confirmed with a technique allowing a combined measurement of approach and escape responses induced by hypothalamic stimulation; escape latencies (TS) decreased significantly at intrapair intervals of 0.4–0.6 msec, whereas approach latencies (TNS) decreased at intra-pair intervals varying between 0.4 and 1.2 msec according to the site of stimulation (Experiment 3). Similar results were obtained at central grey sites (Experiment 4). Fibers mediating aversive effects of hypothalamic and central grey stimulation thus appear to have refractory periods very similar to those of the so called reinforcing fibers activated in lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation. The discussion bears on the interpretation this fact should be given.     

The prevention of sleep problems and colic

The pediatrician can prevent or improve most sleep problems. Colicky babies need holding and cuddling. All babies should be placed in their cribs when sleepy but awake. Trained night feeding can be prevented by stretching out the daytime feeding intervals and making middle-of-the-night feedings "brief and boring." Trained night crying can be prevented by not providing any entertainment or lifting the infant out of the crib during the night. Fearful night crying can be prevented by eliminating the source of fears when possible and providing extra holding and reassurance during the day for fears.