STUDIES ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IN DEFICIENCY DISEASES : II. LESIONS PRODUCED IN THE DOG BY DIETS LACKING THE WATER-SOLUBLE,HEAT-STABLE VITAMIN B2(G)

Adult dogs maintained on an artificial, balanced ration adequate in all dietary essentials as far as is known except water-soluble, heat-stable vitamin B₂ (G) developed, after a sufficient time, a slowly progressive disease characterized by loss of weight, persistent vomiting and diarrhea, and marked muscular weakness, which ended fatally in from 200 to over 300 days. The clinical features of this condition, as pointed out in the discussion, are quite different from those characterizing the canine disease known as black tongue. The anatomic changes in this condition consist of marked demyelination of the peripheral nerves, including the vagus; degeneration of the medullary sheaths and replacement by gliosis of the posterior columns of the spinal cord, particularly the fasciculi graciles; degeneration of the medullary sheaths of the posterior and less often of the anterior nerve roots of the cord; occasionally slight degenerative changes in most of the other fiber tracts of the cord. Attention is called to the fact that degenerative lesions in the central nervous system similar or identical with these have frequently been described in pellagra in man.     

A time–motion study of digital radiography at implementation

With increasing budgetary restraints on the health system, it is apparent that the main contribution that radiology departments can make to significant cost reduction in hospitals is to decrease the length of time between requesting an X-ray examination and receiving the report (and images). Digital radiography (DR) was introduced into the Radiology Department at the Royal Adelaide Hospital as a pilot project to research the cost–benefits and efficiency of the system, and to determine future directions for planning a digital department. The business plan developed prior to implementation of this pilot project predicted a saving of one bed-day per inpatient when a fully digital department with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is installed. This initial study comparing DR and conventional radiography (convR) provides baseline data and shows encouraging results for more rapid transmission of reports to clinicians.     

The Kheda malaria project: the case for environmental control

The Kheda project experience has shown that bio-environmentalcontrol of malaria is feasible, cost effective and ecologicallysound. It clearly brings out the need to consider health issuesat the planning stage of all developments. Bio-environmentalcontrol of malaria is suggested as the first line of attackfor the control of mosquitoes, malaria and other mosquito-bornediseases. Insecticides may be reserved for short-term use. Thiswill enable judicious and selective use of insecticides in solelyepidemic situations. The growing problem of resistance to insecticidesin mosquitoes as well as environmental pollution, can then besolved on a long term basis.     

Acute renal rejection versus acute tubular necrosis in a canine model: MR evaluation

Findings of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in acute renal rejection and acute tubular necrosis (ATN) were studied in dogs. On T1-weighted images, corticomedullary differentiation was absent in kidneys undergoing acute rejection. The loss of corticomedullary differentiation in these kidneys was secondary to a decrease in the relative signal intensity of the cortex, indicating prolongation of the T1 relaxation time of the cortex. In contrast, corticomedullary differentiation was preserved on T1-weighted images of autotransplanted kidneys and kidneys with ATN. MR imaging findings correlated with changes in water content in these three groups of kidneys. Kidneys undergoing acute rejection showed a marked increase in water content compared with kidneys in the other two groups. No change in fat content was found in any group.