The efficacy of sports vision practice and its role in clinical optometry*

For years it has been recognised that many sports place demands on vision and particular visual skills. There is much evidence to show that the correction of visual dysfunction such as ametropia and binocular and accommodative anomalies results in improved sporting performance for those sports. More controversial and of special interest is the suggestion that it is possible to train visual abilities of subjects who do not present with traditionally recognised functional disorders of vision. It has been proposed that sporting performance can be improved as a result of this training. However, this review found the evidence to be inconclusive. In addition, there are studies that suggest athletes have better visual abilities than non-athletes and good athletes have better abilities than less skilled athletes. However, it has not been determined whether these superior abilities are innate to the athlete or have developed through practice. A review of the available literature was unable to prove (or disprove) either of these proposals. However, there appears to be enough evidence to warrant further investigation of these questions, in order that the area of sports vision and vision training can be more fully understood. This will enable clinicians to take full advantage of the potential of sports vision practice to assist athletes. (Clin Exp Optom 1995; 78: 3: 98–105)     

Effect of prolonged ketamine exposure on cardiovascular physiology in pregnant and infant rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Physiologic measurements in nonhuman primates usually are collected from animals that are chemically or physically restrained. Both types of restraint may affect the parameters measured, and those effects can vary with age. Heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, expired CO2, blood pressure, temperature, blood glucose, hematocrit, and venous blood gasses were measured in rhesus monkeys that were either infused intravenously with ketamine for 24 h or were cage-housed and physically restrained for sample collection. The subjects were pregnant monkeys at gestational day 120 to 123, infants 5 to 6 d old, and infants 35 to 37 d old. Heart rate and blood pressure were lower in ketamine-treated monkeys than physically restrained monkeys. Heart rate was higher in infants than adults, whereas blood pressure was lower in infants. Respiratory rate was higher in infants than adults and higher in physically restrained infants than ketamine-sedated infants but was not affected by ketamine in pregnant adults. Hematocrit was decreased in older infants. In summary, both physical restraint and ketamine sedation altered several physiologic parameters in pregnant and infant rhesus macaques. Investigators should consider these effects when designing experiments and evaluating experimental outcomes in monkeys.     

Intranasal immunization of mice with group B streptococcal protein rib and cholera toxin B subunit confers protection against lethal infection

Intranasal immunization of mice with Rib, a cell surface protein of group B streptococcus (GBS), conjugated to or simply coadministered with the recombinant cholera toxin B subunit, induces systemic immunoglobulin G (IgG) and local IgA antibody responses and confers protection against lethal GBS infection. These findings have implications for the development of a human GBS vaccine.     

Genetic alterations of Carney complex are not present in sporadic cardiac myxomas.

Cardiac myxomas are the most frequent cardiac tumors and cause for significant morbidity and mortality. Recent evidence indicates that cardiac myxomas are, in fact, neoplasms rather than organized thrombi. Cardiac myxomas may present as solitary lesions or in association with the Carney complex. Carney complex has been linked to chromosome 2p16 and the PRKAR1A gene at 17q22-24. In this study, we analyzed sporadic cardiac myxomas to evaluate whether the genetic alterations seen in Carney complex are present in non Carney complex associated cardiac myxomas as well. We analyzed microdissected material from 13 patients with cardiac myxomas for the markers PRKAR1 9CA, D2S2153, D2S2251 and D2S123. None of the cases demonstrated loss of heterozygosity or definite band changes suggestive of microsatellite instability for any of the markers used. We conclude that sporadic cardiac myxomas are genetically not related to Carney complex and most likely do not represent an incomplete form of Carney complex.     

Legionella gormanii sp. nov

A new species of Legionella was isolated from soil collected from a creek bank. The name Legionella gormanii sp. nov. is proposed.     

The immune response in steroid deficient mice

Adrenalectomy, gonadectomy and combined adrenalectomy—gonadectomy resulted in increased spleen weights, spleen cell counts and 19S plaque-forming cells following primary and secondary immunization of mice with SRBC when compared to controls. Plaque-forming cells of the 7S type in the spleen did not increase when measured on the eleventh day following the primary or the third day following secondary sensitization. Combined adrenalectomy—gonadectomy had a greater effect on spleen cell counts, spleen weights and plaque-forming cells in the primary and secondary response than either operation alone. Haemolysin titres were not significantly different between test and sham operated animals in the primary and secondary responses.

In the primary responses, it appears that the increase in spleen weight and cell count is responsible for the increase in 19S plaque-forming cells. The response to a second injection of SRBC demonstrated that 19S antibody-producing cells increased three-fold in steroid depleted mice above the control values. In the test animals the 19S antibody-producing cells of the spleen were relatively enriched above that of the controls.