Effects of low-dose isoflurane on saccadic eye movement generation

The effects of 0.15% quasi-steady-state end-tidal isoflurane on two saccadic eye-movement tests were examined in five volunteers using a newly devised computer-based recording system. The tests were saccadic latency and a countermanding task, the latter being an indicator of the highest levels of conscious performance. A moving light-emitting diode target was displayed on a screen and in the saccadic-latency task the latency of eye movement to the target was measured. In all five subjects the latency increased with anaesthetic by an amount which varied from 8 to 45 ms. This result was significantly different (p < 0.05) from subjects without anaesthetic. In the countermanding task, the subject had to voluntarily inhibit movement to the target. Again anaesthetic increased the latency of response, which varied from 6 to 33 ms. This result was significantly different (p < 0.05) from subjects without anaesthetic. In these studies it appeared that two tasks, one a simple latency test and the other, the countermanding task, requiring higher cortical processing were equally impaired at subanaesthetic concentrations of isoflurane.     

Long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency—diagnosis,plasma carnitine fractions and management in a further patient

Long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (LCHAD), the third enzyme of the mitochondrial -oxidation pathway, carries out the dehydrogenation of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA compounds of 12–18 carbon length. To date only nine cases of LCHAD deficiency have been documented. We report a further patient who as a neonate developed non-specific gastro-intestinal symptoms and at 5 months of age cardiomyopathy, recurrent hypoketotic hypoglycaemia and gross alterations of plasma carnitine fractions. Dietary management with medium chain triglycerides led rapidly to clinical improvement. There was a close correlation between the clinical condition, plasma carnitine fractions and cardiac function. At 2 years of age she is developing normally.     

Residual radiation damage in the mouse foot after exposure to heavy particles

Mice receiving a first treatment with graded doses of various heavy charged particles (protons and heavy ions) to one of their hind legs were re-exposed to a fixed dose of x rays eight months later to study the "memory" of residual damage from the first treatment. No significant memory of the first radiation exposure was observed for acute skin rection. However, there is an indication of memory for foot deformity. The results do not seem to indicate any significant differences in memory after exposure to 60Co gamma rays compared with protons or heavy ions, if biological effectiveness of the doses is taken into consideration.     

Atelosteogenesis I and boomerang dysplasia: a question of nosology

We report a patient whose clinical, radiologic and histopathologic findings are compatible with severe atelosteogenesis (AT-I). The patient is compared with previously reported cases of AT-I, as well as with patients reported as having "boomerang" dysplasia. We conclude that it is reasonable to consider AT-I and boomerang dysplasia as part of a spectrum, probably reflecting a common etiology. More and detailed clinical, radiologic and histopathologic reports are needed to further clarify the relationship of AT-II and AT-III in this family of skeletal dysplasias.     

6-125I-iodo-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinol bis (diammonium phosphate) as a potential radio-halogenated anti-cancer agent: In vitro investigations and possible clinical implications

6-¹²⁵I-iodo-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinol bis (diammonium phosphate) (6-¹²⁵I-iodo-MNDP) has been synthesised and studied as the prototype of a class of potential radio-halogenated anti-cancer agents. The incorporated ¹²⁵I provides Auger electron radiations which behave like high LET radiations in the treatment of tumours, though the accompanying X- and -radiations make an undersirable contribution to the total body dose. The in vitro experiments reported show that 6-¹²⁵I-iodo-MNDP is selectively concentrated in the cells of some human malignant tumours by factor of about 15 to 20 or more in relation to the cells of normal origin studied. On the basis of dosimetric considerations and comparison with clinical treatment with tritiated methylnaphthoquinol diphosphate, practical dosage of 6-¹²⁵I-iodo-MNDP is suggested and clinical indications and safety of use are discussed. The types of tumour of particular interest are inoperable cases of carcinoma of the colon, carcinoma of the pancreas, malignant melanoma and osteosarcoma. Further investigations are in progress.Beit Memorial Fellow for Medical Research     

Extravasation of albumin in tissues of normal and septic baboons and sheep.

Extravasation of albumin was measured in the tissues of normal and septic baboons and sheep. A group of normal animals (4 baboons, 4 sheep) was anesthetized for 6 hr and then given radioactively labeled albumin and red blood cells intravenously. The labeled albumin and red blood cells were allowed to equilibrate for exactly 15 min, at which time the animals were deliberately killed. Volumes of distribution of labeled albumin and red blood cells were then determined in the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, brain, and skeletal muscle of the baboons and in the lungs, heart, liver, and spleen of the sheep. Another group of animals (6 baboons, 14 sheep) were made septic by infusing live Escherichia coli organisms. The animals were resuscitated and volumes of distribution of albumin and red blood cells determined as in the normal animals. The volume of distribution of albumin was greater than the volume of distribution of red blood cells in all tissues in both species, both in control animals and in septic animals, with the exception of the spleen and skeletal muscle of the baboons and the spleen of the sheep. That is, albumin extravasated readily in most of the tissues of the animals, even within only 15 min of equilibration. There was moderate but significant extravasation in the lungs, heart, and brain. There was marked extravasation in the liver. Extravasation tended to be more pronounced in the septic animals. With this extensive degree of albumin extravasation, administration of albumin to patients, especially septic patients, is unlikely to prevent edema except in the spleen and skeletal muscle.     

Antibody-dependent lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity (Ab-LMC), definition of the "K cell" in the rat.

The nature and membrane characteristics of the "K cell" of antibody-dependent lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity (Ab-LMC) were investigated in a widely used rat model of transplantation. Treatment of sensitized effector cell populations with anti-immunoglobulin and complement eliminated K cell cytotoxicity without diminishing the component of T cell-mediated injury. EA and EAC depletion experiments, although demonstrating no loss of K cell cytotoxicity after removal of complement receptor-bearing lymphocytes, produced a marked abrogation of cytotoxicity following the removal of the Fc receptor-bearing lymphocyte pool. Studies on phagocytic properties showed K cell activity to be shared by an adherent as well as a nonadherent cell population. Thus, the Fc receptor emerged as the only constant surface marker of the rat K cell in Ab-LMC.