Congenital lobar emphysema in congenital cytomegalovirus infection

We report a case of congenital lobar emphysema diagnosed antenatally in an infant of 32 weeks’ gestation. Histology and serology confirmed infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV pneumonitis leading to inflammation and obstruction in the bronchial tree may have resulted in the development of congenital lobar emphysema.     

Sexual preference assessment of sexual aggressors: Predictors of penile response magnitude

A current method used to assess the sexual preference of sexual aggressors is the recording of their penile responses during the presentation of erotic stimuli. This method is ineffective in subjects who do not obtain sufficient penile responses. Whether variables related either to the subjects or their crimes would correlate with the magnitude of penile responses during sexual preference assessment was studied. The penile responses of 92 subjects were recorded. Older and presentencing subjects showed a lower maximum penile response magnitude than younger and sentenced subjects. Results are discussed as they relate to the validity of physiological assessment of sexual preference.     

Weak electric current accelerates motoneuron regeneration in the sciatic nerve of ten-month-old rats

When a weak direct current (DC) of 10 μA driven by an implantable device was applied to a crushed sciatic nerve in 9–10-month-old rats, regeneration was accelerated as assessed electrophysiologically. Rats underwent a sciatic nerve crush of the right leg and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (i) Cathode Distal (CD); (ii) Sham Implant (SI); or (iii) No Implant (NI). On post-operative days 25–39 each rat r received a measurement of evoked electromyograms (EMG) in the foot. In addition each rat received a behavioural test score (BTS). This BTS correlated well with the evoked EMG results showing the behavioural relevance of the EMG results. NI rats performed the same as SI in the evoked EMG procedure, but CD rats performed significantly better than both the control groups. The recovery period in the CD rats was 21% shorter than in either the sham-treated or untreated controls showing that weak DC can greatly enhance nerve regeneration in adult rats. This result was in contrast to previous work in younger rats where DC treatments had no effects. The discrepancy is discussed in relation to the slowing of regeneration in older rats.     

Estimation of total lung capacity by planimetry of chest radiographs in children 5 to 10 years of age

Planimetry is an inexpensive, easy method to estimate total lung capacity (TLC) when radiographs are available. This prospective study was done to see which of the published planimetric methods for estimating TLC in children aged 5 to 10 yr was best. Helium dilution TLC measurements and 6-foot posteroanterior (PA) and lateral chest films at maximum inspiration were performed on 10 normal subjects and 14 subjects with chest abnormalities. The 2 lung areas on the PA (areas A and B) and lateral (area C) chest films were measured by planimetry. Results of helium dilution TLC measurements were compared to calculations of three different published equations to obtain the correlation coefficient (r) and the probability of identity (P). The equation TLC = 0.67 (A+B+C) ml had the best r (0.94) and P value (0.96). Thus, TLC can be estimated by planimetry in this age group.     

Immature thymocytes isolated using a sialic acidspecific lectin are unresponsive to concanavalin A

Mouse thymocytes, which are approximately 90% immature cortical cells, are low in surface sialic acid when compared with more mature cortisone-resistant, presumably medullary, thymocytes and peripheral T lymphocytes. Thus, medullary thymocytes bind and are agglutinated by the N-acetylneuraminic acid-specific lectin, lobster agglutinin 1 (LAg1), whereas cortical thymocytes are not agglutinated by this lectin. It is demonstrated herein that mouse cortical thymocytes, purified using LAg1, do not respond to the mitogenic effects of concanavalin A (Con A). The lack of response to this lectin is not due to depletion of macrophages, since addition of macrophages does not restore the response. Populations of LAg1-negative thymocytes can be made to respond weakly to Con A by the addition of interleukin 2, but this response appears to be due to the presence of a few contaminating LAg1-binding thymocytes since it is abolished by treatment of the cells with rabbit anti-LAg1 serum plus complement. Therefore highly purified cortical thymocytes not only cannot respond to Con A, but also they cannot be induced to respond by the addition of the T cell growth factor, interleukin 2. Thymocytes isolated by a single criterion, that is by virtue of their low amount of surface sialic acid, appear to be a truly immature population of thymocytes.