Survey for positive Limulus amoebocyte lysate test in plasma from humans and common research animals.

A survey for positive Limulus amoebocyte lysate tests was conducted on apparently healthy humans, mongrel dogs, rats, mice, rabbits, and squirrel monkeys. Only mongrel dog (45.8%) and human (32.8%) plasma samples gave positive tests. In dogs, a significant correlation between positive Limulus amoebocyte lysate tests and the presence of intestinal parasites was found. Positives found in human plasma samples were thought to be due to the presence of background levels of endotoxin or some possible mimicker substance found in the plasma after chloroform extraction. It was concluded that there was a need to distinguish between these positive Limulus tests and those which represent significant endotoxemia.     

Efficacy of antiperspirants on feet.

Nineteen male soldiers participated in a study of the effectiveness of two antiperspirants (aluminum chlorohydrate and aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex glycine) in reducing foot-sweat accumulation and injuries. Each subject was tested before and after antiperspirant application, with a 1-hour treadmill march at 5.6 km/hour in a warm environment. Both antiperspirants decreased (p less than 0.05) foot-sweat accumulation over 50%. There was also a tendency, although not statistically significant, for subjects to incur fewer blisters with antiperspirant use. However, the antiperspirants also increased (p less than 0.05) the incidence of irritant dermatitis. Nevertheless, these data suggest that the application of antiperspirants to the feet has merit in reducing serious foot injuries (blisters, trench foot) exacerbated by wet feet.     

Scintigraphic assessment of swallow efficiency postlaryngectomy

There have been reports of a high incidence of hypopharyngeal stenosis in total laryngectomy patients when the surgery requires a partial pharyngectomy for pyriform sinus involvement. In this study, three groups were compared: total laryngectomy patients without partial pharyngectomy, total laryngectomy patients with partial pharyngectomy, and normal controls. All patients had received radiation therapy following surgery. All were maintaining oral nutrition, and none complained of dysphagia. Patients were tested between 1 and 7 months postradiation therapy, with a mean of 3 months. Measures of swallowing efficiency were based on scintigraphic data for a liquid swallow. Patients with partial pharyngectomy had abnormally long oropharyngeal transit times and low efficiency scores. For a subgroup of patients with partial pharyngectomy, swallowing data were available postsurgery and postradiation therapy. Postsurgery this patient group did not differ significantly from normal patients in swallowing efficiency, and swallowing efficiency deteriorated in postradiation therapy. This scintigraphic methodology is shown to be a sensitive method of assessing swallowing function in this patient population.     

Motor and cognitive performances in pre-lingual cochlear implant adolescents,related with vestibular function and auditory input

Background: Information about the role of auditory input and motor control is limited.

Objectives: Assessment the relationship between auditory and vestibular information with specific motor and cognitive functions.

Methods: Posturography in 17 Pre-lingual Cochlear Implant Adolescents, (PCIA) age 14.06?±?3.05 in four sensory conditions was analyzed: (A) eyes open, cochlear implant (CI) on, (B) eyes open, CI off, (C) eyes closed standing on a foam over a platform (ECFP) with CI on, and (D) ECFP, CI off. Gait velocity (GV) was registered by inertial sensors using a 10-meter test. Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) was evaluated with the video head impulse test (VHIT) and visual spatial skill (VS) assessed with the WISC-V test.

Results: SV had no significant difference between conditions A and B (p?=?.2461). Comparing C and D, SV values decreased when CI was turned on (p?=?.0036). A significant linear relationship between VOR and GV (p?=?.0064) generating the VOR gain loss lower gait. Relationship between VOR and VS scores was no significant (p?=?.685).

Conclusions and significance: Auditory information is a relevant cue when somatosensory and visual inputs are modified and range of vestibular function influence in a dynamic motor activity as gait, facts which must be considered in the neurodevelopment control.     

A quantitative assessment of changes in the dermal fibroblast population of pig skin after single doses of X-rays

Investigations were carried out into the time- and dose-related changes in the density of fibroblasts in the dermis of irradiated pig skin. The time course of these changes in the density of fibroblast nuclei in the reticular dermis was studied from 6 to 104 weeks after irradiation with a single dose of 15.4 Gy of X-rays. The largest decrease in the number of fibroblasts occurred between 12 weeks and 26 weeks after irradiation; after this time there was only a slight fall in the fibroblast number until 104 weeks when the observations ceased. At 26 weeks and later times after irradiation the reduction in the density of fibroblast nuclei in the reticular dermis was dose-dependent for single doses in the range 8.0-20.7 Gy. The dose-response curve had an initial shoulder, after which the fall in the fibroblast nuclear density was linearly related to dose. Data obtained at other times, between 26 weeks and 104 weeks after irradiation, could be fitted by the same dose-response curve. The fall in the counts of fibroblast nuclei was compared with earlier studies in pig skin. The loss of fibroblasts occurred after an initial reduction in blood flow in the pig skin but was concomitant with the general reduction in dermal thickness.     

Increased survival in experimental dog heatstroke after reduction of gut flora.

A study was undertaken to determine if gut flora contribute to the pathophysiology of experimental canine heatstroke. Fifty animals in four groups were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (25 mg/kg) intravenously. An air temperature of 42-46 degrees C was maintained adjacent to the dog with a water-heated blanket for approximately 2 h until rectal temperatures rose to 43.5 +/- 0.4 degrees C. Animals were then cooled passively in room air (28 degrees C, 20% RH) until death or until 18 h elapsed, and were euthanized. Reduction of intestine stool and bacterial contents with antibiotics, cathartics, and enemas prior to heatstroke increased the incidence of 18-h survival from 20.0% to 70.6%; antibiotics administered after heatstroke did not alter the incidence of survival over control values. These data suggest that gut flora, presumably through endotoxemia, contribute to the evolution of heatstroke pathophysiology.