Onset of spermatozoal degeneration in low-fertility Delaware roosters and test for autoimmune basis

The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the onset of a heritable reproductive disorder in the rooster that is characterized by extensive spermatozoal degeneration within the ductus deferens, and 2) to determine if autoimmunity was associated with spermatozoal degeneration. Seventy-five percent of the affected roosters did not ejaculate large percentages of degenerate spermatozoa at 20 wk of age, approximately the age of sexual maturity. Rather, seminal quality gradually declined over the next 6 wk, as both ejaculate volume and number of spermatozoa ejaculated increased. The evaluation of testicular and excurrent duct tissues via immunofluorescence failed to reveal either IgY or IgA associated with spermatozoa. While histological examination revealed greater lymphocyte numbers (P less than .05) in the proximal ductus deferens, these cells were not associated with spermatozoa nor spermatozoal clumping. While spermatozoal degeneration tends to be latent at the onset of semen production, it does not appear to be due to spermatozoal autoimmunity.     

Measurement of oxygen uptake in the non-steady-state

The purpose of these experiments was to develop and validate an open-circuit technique for measurement of gas exchange during the transition from rest to constant load steady-state exercise. The design of the open-circuit system employed to measure gas exchange in these experiments used a mixing chamber to collect the subject's expired ventilation where fractions of O2 and CO2 were determined via electronic gas analyzers. A gasometer was used to measure inspired ventilation and the analog signals from the two gas analyzers and the gasometer were sent to a microcomputer for computation of VO2. In calculating VO2, the mixed expired gas concentrations were matched with ventilatory volume using a previously determined time delay. To determine the validity of the open-circuit system, four subjects performed a series of 16 rest-to-work transitions on a cycle ergometer. In eight of the experiments, serial measurements of VO2 were obtained every 20 s for 3 min using the open-circuit mixing chamber system while the additional eight experiments used the Douglas bag technique. No significant difference (p greater than 0.05) existed between VO2 values calculated by the two techniques. Mean differences in VO2 between the two techniques during the first three 20-s measurement periods were 6, 53, and 63 ml, respectively. Using the Douglas bag technique as the standard, this represents a relative measurement error of 0.1%, 4.5%, and 3.6%, respectively, at the above time intervals. These data demonstrate that an open-circuit system employing a mixing chamber and the appropriate time delay to match expired gas fractions and ventilation is a sensitive means of measurement of VO2 in the non-steady-state.     

A randomized controlled trial of electromagnetic therapy in the primary care management of venous leg ulceration

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to establish the potential efficacy, tolerabilityand side-effect profile of electromagnetic therapy as an adjunctto conventional dressings in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. METHOD: A prospective, randomized, double blind controlled clinicaltrial was carried out in a dedicated leg ulcer clinic basedin one urban general practice. Nineteen patients with leg ulcersof confirmed venous aetiology were assessed. The main outcomemeasures were rate and scale of venous leg ulcer healing, changesin patient-reported pain levels, quality of life, degree ofmobility, side effect profile and acceptability to patientsand staff. RESULTS: Sixty-eight per cent of patients attending this dedicated clinicachieved improvements in the size of their ulcer (4, 21%, healedfully) and in reduced pain levels (P < 0.05) during the trial,despite the chronicity of ulcer histories. Patients treatedwith electromagnetic therapy at 800 Hz were found at day 50to have significantly greater healing (P < 0.05) and paincontrol (P < 0.05) than placebo therapy or treatment with600 Hz. All patients reported improved mobility at the end ofthe study. The electromagnetic therapy was well tolerated bypatients, with no differences between groups in reporting adverseevents, and proved acceptable to staff. CONCLUSION: Despite the small numbers in this pilot study, electromagnetictherapy provided significant gains in the healing of venousleg ulcers and reduction in pain. Keywords. Electromagnetic therapy, RCT, leg ulcers, primary care.     

Computer-Assisted Detection of Pulmonary Nodules: Preliminary Observations Using a Prototype System with Multidetector-Row CT Data Sets

The continued revolution in multidetector-row CT (MDCT) scanning increases the quality of lung imaging but at the cost of a greater burden of data for review and interpretation. This article discusses our preliminary experience with prototype software for lung nodule detection and characterization using MDCT data sets. We discuss the potential role of computer-assisted detection (CAD) as applied to the automatic detection of lung nodules. We also review the process of CAD, outline its potential results, and explore how it may fit into existing radiology practice. Finally, we discuss MDCT data-acquisition parameters and how they may affect the performance of CAD.     

Operant Conditioning of Heart Rate: Somatic Correlates

The relationships between heart rate (HR) and several parameters of somatic activity were evaluated in human subjects when shuck avoidance was made contingent on either increases or decreases in HR. In order to depict any influence of the contingency specific 10 HR, somatic activity was controlled to varying degrees by instructions and the use of non-contingent control groups. When increases in HR were reinforced, the contingency we found to influence somatic activity but an effect specific to HR was also observed. When decreases in HR were reinforced, there was no evidence that HR were influenced independently of somatic activity. The result are discussed with respect to several current issues.     

Study of the HLA system in Burkitt's lymphoma

Seventy-eight patients with Burkitt's lymphoma and seventy controls from Ghana were typed for HLA-A, B, C and DR antigens, to determine whether there is an association between the HLA system and Burkitt's lymphoma. Increased relative risk was observed in Burkitt's lymphoma patients with DR7, HLA-A1 and B12 (BW44).     

Osteosarcomatosis

A review of the 690 cases of osteosarcoma in the radiographic file of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology revealed 29 cases of "osteosarcomatosis" (multiple skeletal sites of osteosarcoma). Fifteen of these patients were 18 years old and under and manifested rapidly appearing, usually symmetric, sclerotic metaphyseal lesions. The remaining 14 patients were more than 18 years old and had fewer, asymmetric sclerotic lesions. In most patients (28 of 29), a radiographically dominant skeletal tumor was seen. Pulmonary metastases occurred in the majority of patients and were detected at the same time as the bone lesions. These 29 patients were studied with regard to demographic data and skeletal distribution and radiographic appearance of their lesions. As a result of the findings, a metastatic origin from a primary dominant osteosarcoma is favored over a multifocal origin as the basis for osteosarcomatosis. Osteosarcomatosis is more commonly encountered in the mature skeleton than has been previously recognized.