Observations on Leukemia in Wistar and Wistar Furth Rats

1. Six-hundred and seventy-three Wistar and W/Fu rats were treated atthe age of 4 months with whole body x-ray, orally administered 3MCA or acombination of these agents. All animals were followed until death and 87per cent were autopsied.

2. Among 303 autopsied animals there were 403 benign and malignanttumors, including 28 leukemias.

3. Differences were noted in the incidence and types of leukemia occurring in both breeds of rats. In Wistars 9 of 11 leukemias were myelogenous and 8 of these followed x-ray exposure.

4. Approximately a 10 per cent incidence of spontaneously occurring mononuclear cell leukemia was found in W/Fu rats; exposure to x-ray apparentlydecreased the occurrence of leukemia in these rodents. Following oral administration of 3MCA, 13 per cent of W/Fu rats developed acute mononuclear cell leukemia.

5. Results of hematologic, cytologic and histochemical studies on ratleukemia are discussed in this article, and the possible significance of theappearance and disappearance of the distinctive mononuclear cells in theperipheral blood is pointed out.

6. Pathologic findings indicate that the majority of deaths, other than thosedue to leukemia, were due to pulmonary infections and a great variety oftumors. In leukemic animals enlargement of the spleen was almost universally present and adenopathy, especially involving mediastinal and retroperitoneal glands, was frequently noted. Among 9 myelogenous leukemiasin Wistar rats green chloromatous tissues were found in 5 animals.

7. Cytogenetic studies were carried out on direct preparations from thebone marrow in most of the leukemic rats in this series. Aneuploidy wasnoted in several animals and one W/Fu rat demonstrated a morphologicallyabnormal "marker" chromosome. In more recent studies improved technicsand use of the spleen as a source of metaphase preparations have affordedbetter opportunities to obtain adequate chromosome preparations in leukemic rats. Further investigations are in progress and special studies arebeing directed to the viral and cytogenetic aspects of leukemia in the rat.

Submitted on December 4, 1964 Accepted on January 25, 1965     

Patient anxiety in the accident and emergency department

• ? Structured interviews were carried out with a sample of 96 patients to identify the sources of anxiety for patients in the accident and emergency (A & E) department.
• ? Only two patients reported that they were not at all anxious about any aspect of being in A & E. The average number of anxieties reported was 69.
• ? The most frequently reported anxieties were ‘not being able to carry on your usual activities’, ‘not knowing what will happen to you in the department’, ‘having to undergo an uncomfortable procedure’, ‘feeling pain’ and ‘not knowing what is wrong’.
• ? The findings indicate that patients were as concerned with psychological and social aspects associated with admission as they were about psysical factors.
• ? The authors suggest that it is essential for nurses in A & E to assess patients holistically and consider their psychological state and social circumstances as well as their physical condition. There is also a need for closer links to be developed between accident and emergency departments and other community health agencies and for more emphasis to be placed on referral to other bodies.

     

The severely mentally ill: working better with specialist services

Abstract

The study of family structures, functioning, roles and values is fundamental in family therapist's activities for better understanding the psychological, cultural and social specificity of different clients and interventions. In this paper we describe the Romanian family and the family therapies which are available in Romania. We illustrate basic needs using demographic data and research available from Romania. The nuclear family remains dominant instead of other alternatives, the age of marriage is earlier than in western European countries and celibate and consensual living are exceptions or only for the transitional period before marriage. The role of marriage and childbirth within the marital setting is still important. The model of a single child appears increasingly common due to an improvement in financial resources and better living conditions. Relations with family of origin remain close. The difficulties for children with parents working in different countries raise problems and have implications for the extended family, educators and psychotherapists as well as mental health service providers. Family therapists should keep in mind the structure, function, role and values of the Romanian family for better understanding the issues and resources and use these accordingly in therapy. Policy-makers should be aware of the difficulties concerning availability and access to this therapeutic approach.     

Clinical manifestations of cows' milk allergy in childhood. I. Associations with in-vitro cellular immune responses

In this study 51 children who presented with symptoms of cows' milk allergy (CMA) were categorized clinically by their response to cows' milk challenge. Forty-two patients had unequivocal evidence of CMA and nine were milk tolerant. Of the patients with CMA two groups were identified. The first, made up of 32 patients, had immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions to milk associated with both positive skin-prick test (SPT) and RAST. The second group of 10 late reacting patients developed symptoms of CMA over several hours or days; significant increases in irritability, frequency of bowel actions, and rhinitis following milk ingestion were noted in this group. Leucocyte inhibition factor (LIF) produced in response to α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin and α-casein was assessed in the immediate and late reacting CMA patients as well as in the milk-tolerant group. There was no difference in LIF production between the milk-tolerant group and those with immediate reactions. However, these two groups produced less LIF than the late reacting patients for α-lactalbumin ( P = 002), α-casein ( P = 0.03) and β-lactoglobulin ( P = 0.05). A clinical diary score card was found to be a useful instrument to assess the response of non-immediate reactions to milk ingestion.     

Antibodies mediating type I skin test reactions to polysaccharide and protein antigens of Candida albicans

Immediate, type I, prick test reactions in man to purified fractions of Candida albicans group A were mediated by different classes of antibody. The allergens were the cell-wall polysaccharide, mannan, and a ‘purified’ cytoplasmic protein fraction, free of mannan, prepared by passage through Sepharose-concanavalin-A. Passive transfer tests in the monkey gave immediate reactions, (1) to the purified, cytoplasmic, protein mediated by heat-labile long-term sensitizing antibody, and (2) to the polysaccharide, mannan, mediated by heat-stable short-term sensitizing antibody.     

Bone and Marrow Transplants in the Rat

A simple method for transplantation of autologous bone and marrow to therat kidney is described and the usefulness of this preparation for research onbone and marrow growth is pointed out.

While an induction mechanism cannot be conclusively ruled out by thesestudies, the histologic evidence strongly supports the concept that growth ofimplanted bone and marrow is due to survival of small islands of active boneand marrow cells and from these foci, repopulation takes place.

Submitted on March 23, 1961 Accepted on July 6, 1961     

Nursing diagnosis in sick children's nursing

Summary

• ? The North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) is receiving increasing attention in the UK, following 40 years of development in the USA.
• ? A study of care plans in children's wards shows that nurses fail to identify comprehensively children's and families' nursing needs.
• ? The potential of using a system of nursing diagnoses to facilitate nursing assessment in children's wards is discussed.