Urinary cortisol levels, cellular immunocompetency, and loneliness in psychiatric inpatients

This study examined the associations among loneliness, stressful life events, urinary cortisol levels, and immunocompetency. Blood and urine were obtained from 33 psychiatric inpatients on the day after admission, at which time the patients completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Interview Life Events Scale (PERI), and the MMPI. Patients who scored above the median on loneliness had significantly higher urinary cortisol levels. The high loneliness group also had significantly lower levels of natural killer cell activity, as well as a poorer T-lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin. The high loneliness subjects described themselves as more distressed than the low loneliness group on the MMPI. There were no consistent significant effects on either the immunologic measures or the MMPI associated with the PERI.

Cerebral embolism due to non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis following pregnancy

A case is reported of cerebral embolism with two very unusual features. Two bilaterally symmetrical haemorrhagic infarcts occurred, due to non-bacterial thrombotic cardiac valvular vegetations precipitated by the puerperium in a previously healthy young woman.

Hydrocephalus caused by tuberculous meningitis: clinical picture, CT findings and results of shunt surgery

This study is an analysis of 70 children, five months to eleven years of age, with hydrocephalus secondary to tuberculous meningitis. They presented as an acute illness, mostly in early childhood, with disturbance of consciousness, convulsions, rigidity and, sometimes, neurological deficit. CT scans showed ventricular dilatation, periventricular translucency and exudates in basal cisterns. Shunt surgery performed early produced gratifying results without dissemination of tuberculosis. Residual ventricular dilatation following shunt surgery was inversely related to intellectual status. Even with advanced degrees of tuberculous meningitis, thirteen of the twenty-eight children tested for intellectual status were found to be educable or having near normal intelligence. Fatal intraventricular haemorrhages were seen in six cases as a late complication.

Oncogenic transformation of mouse BALB/3T3 cells by plutonium-238 alpha particles

The A31-11 mouse BALB/3T3 cell system was adapted for the study of malignant transformation induced by 5.3 MeV alpha particles from a specially constructed 238Pu source. The biologic effects were compared to those of 220 kVp X rays. The alpha-radiation survival curve showed a D0 of 70 rad and a relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of 3.5 at 50% survival. The transformation frequency increased exponentially with dose in the range examined (25-250 rad); the maximum RBE for the induction of transformation in growing cells was approximately 3. The RBE for alpha transformation in nonproliferating cells, however, appeared to be much higher; the yield of transformants among X-irradiated cells held in the stationary phase of growth for 6 to 220 hr after irradiation declined nearly 50-fold while no decrease occurred in alpha-irradiated cells. This finding supports the hypothesis that carcinogenic damage induced by high LET radiation in mammalian cells is inefficiently repaired compared with X-ray damage, and that the carcinogenic effect of exposures to high LET radiation may be simply cumulative in nature. It further suggests that the effective RBE for alpha radiation in nonproliferating cell populations in vivo may be much higher than one would predict based on measurements in dividing cells.

Spontaneous injury caused by a muscle exerciser

Two patients with spontaneous injuries occurring while using a 'Bullworker' exerciser are described. An explanation for their injuries is suggested.

The use of a novel stabilizing substrate for the in vitro cultivation of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis)

A new stabilizing substrate derived from cellulose crystallite aggregates (CCA) is presented in its use for tissue culture and regeneration of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.), particularly at the stage of root formation. The material is suitable instead of agar for the large scale propagation of cultured plants. Frequently growth promoting effects are being observed with the medium.

Discriminating good sleepers from insomniacs using all-night polysomnograms conducted at home

Twelve good sleepers and 12 insomniacs were recorded over three nights in their homes. Subjective assessment of sleep indicated minimal disruption due to sleep recording procedures. A cut point of 88 per cent sleep efficiency resulted in correct classification of nine poor sleepers and 10 good sleepers. Multiple discriminant function analyses, using variables related to rapid eye movement sleep, resulted in the same number of correct classifications. The two indices combined resulted in 100 per cent exclusion of false positives for good sleepers and insomniacs. Insomniacs also showed more night-to night variability in sleep and greater difficulty in returning to sleep once aroused. These results show that good sleepers and insomniacs can be distinquished with a high degree of resolution using variables derived from the home all-night sleep recording.

Sequence-specific endonuclease BamHI: relaxation of sequence recognition

The effect of glycerol on the specificity of DNA cleavage by the restriction endonuclease BamHI has been examined. In addition to the canonical G decreases from G-A-T-C-C site, BamHI cuts DNA at several sites that we have named noncanonical BamHI.1 sites. The number of BamHI.1 sites in simian virus 40 and pBR322 was determined to be 13 for each DNA. Cutting sites determined by DNA sequence analysis include G decreases from G-A-A-C-C, G decreases from G-C-T-C-C, G decreases from G-G-T-C-C, and G-A-A-T-C-C with the complementary strand sequence assignments of G-G-T-T-C-C, G-G-A-G-C-C, G-G-A-C-C-C, and G-G-A-T-T-C. The relaxation in specificity was related to hydrogen bond acceptor and donor sites in the recognition sequence, in an attempt to generate a model of BamHI recognition of cognate sites in DNA.

Double blind controlled trial of deanol in tardive dyskinesia

Thirty three chronic psychiatric hospital subjects with oral tardive dyskinesia were divided into three groups. The subjects were matched for severity of symptoms then randomly assigned to treatment with a placebo, 1 g deanol or 2 g deanol per day. Statistical analysis showed that after 30 days treatment, there was a significant reduction in the mean rating of the movements of the group of 11 subjects on 2 g deanol per day. Six of these subjects showed substantial reduction in movement. Further studies using this dosage of deanol are unwarranted.

Further characterization of sfiA and sfiB mutations in Escherichia coli

The sfiA and sfiB mutations, originally isolated in thermoresistant ultraviolet-resistant revertants of a tif lon strain, also suppressed filamentation in tsl strains (mutated at the lexA locus). When deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis was arrested, however, sfi-independent filamentation occurred. Other SOS functions were not affected by sfiA and sfiB mutations; in particular, ultraviolet-induced repair and mutagenesis of bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid were normal, as was tsl-tif-induced synthesis of recA protein. Genetic studies (i) established the identity of map location of the sfiA and sulA loci, (ii) showed that the two sfiB mutations are recessive, and (iii) showed that of six independent sfiA mutations, three are recessive and three are dominant. One sfiB strain was shown to have a 6% growth disadvantage relative to a sfi+ or sfiA strain. It is proposed that the sfiA locus may define the structural gene of a hypothetical inducible SOS-associated division inhibitor.

tif-Stimulated deoxyribonucleic acid repair in Escherichia coli K-12

Bacterial survival is significantly increased after ultraviolet irradiation in tif sfi cells, provided that the thermosensitive tif mutation has been expressed at 41 degrees C before irradiation. This tif-mediated "reactivation of ultraviolet irradiated bacteria" needs de novo protein synthesis, as is the case for the tif-mediated reactivation of ultraviolet-irradiated phage lambda. However, in striking contrast to the phage reactivation process, this tif-mediated reactivation is no longer associated with mutagenesis. It also requires the presence of the uvrA+ excision function. These results strongly suggest the existence in Escherichia coli K-12 of a repair pathway acting on bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid which is inducible, error free, and uvr dependent.

Sequence-specific endonuclease Bam HI. Effect of hydrophobic reagents on sequence recognition and catalysis

The specificity of cleavage of Bam HI is altered in the presence of hydrophobic reagents, such as glycerol and M2SO. The enzyme with altered specificity, designated Bam HI.1, generated digestion patterns of various DNAs, which were distinct from those generated by Bam HI. Cleavage sites recognized in phiX174 RF DNA in the presence of these hydrophobic reagents are not related to the Bam HI palindrome. Bam HI.1 appears to be an endogenous form of Bam HI that can be expressed by altering the hydrophobicity of the reaction.

Psychiatric service options within a health maintenance organization

The authors describe a prepaid mental health program affiliated with a Phoenix-based health maintenance organization. Challenged by the need to limit financial risk and by high outpatient utilization rates, this prepaid health plan, developed a policy of service delivery which could both satisfy patient and consultee demands and conserve costs. Staff philosophies, services, administrative characteristics and client population are described. Key concepts in the delivery of service are outlined. The authors conclude by reviewing some of the ethical and financial dilemmas confronting the prepaid mental health professional.

Dissociation of tsl-tif-induced filamentation and recA protein synthesis in Escherichia coli K-12

In Escherichia coli, expression of the tif-1 mutation (in the recA gene) induces the "SOS response" at 40 degrees C, including massive synthesis of the recA(tif) protein, cell filamentation, appearance of new repair and mutagenic activities, and prophage induction. Expression of the tsl-1 mutation (in the lexA gene) induces massive synthesis of the recA protein and cell filamentation at 42 degrees C, although other SOS functions are not induced. In this paper we show that the septation inhibition induced in tif and tsl strains at 42 degrees C is not due to the presence of a high concentration of recA protein since (i) no recA mutants (</=10(-8)) were isolated among thermoresistant nonfilamenting revertants of a tif-1 tsl-1 strain, (ii) in a tsl-1 zab-53 strain, only the low basal level of recA protein was synthesized at 42 degrees C, yet cell division was inhibited, and (iii) in a tsl-1 recA99 (amber) strain, no recA protein could be detected at 42 degrees C, yet cell division was inhibited. Among suppressors of tsl-tif-induced lethality are mutations at a locus which we call infB, located in the 66- to 83-min region. The infB1 mutation confers a highly pleiotropic phenotype, which is suggestive of a regulatory defect; it suppressed tsl-tif-induced filamentation but not recA protein synthesis, it did not suppress ultraviolet-induced filamentation (in a lon derivative), and it reduced but did not abolish tif-mediated induction of lambda prophage and bacterial mutagenesis. The dissociation of tsl-tif-induced septation inhibition and recA protein synthesis in the tif-1 tsl-1 infB1 strain suggests that the control of SOS filamentation may not be strictly identical to the control of recA protein synthesis.

Suppression of induction of SOS functions in an Escherichia coli tif-1 mutant by plasmid R100.1

The tif-1 mutation in the recA gene of Escherichia coli caused, at 40 degrees C, lethal cell filamentation, induction of the recA protein, mutagenesis, and, in lambda lysogens, prophage induction. The presence of plasmid R100.1 in tif-1 strains suppressed tif-mediated cell filamentation and killing, recA protein induction, and prophage induction in lysogens. It also reduced mutagenesis in a tif-1 sfiA11(R100.1) strain. Plasmids F'lac, P1, and pMB9, in contrast, had little or no effect on tif-mediated induction of lambda. The presence of R100.1 did not inhibit the induction of the recA protein or of lambda by ultraviolet irradiation or mitomycin C treatment of tif-1(R100.1) or tif-1(lambda)(R100.1) strains.

Suppression of tif-mediated induction of SOS functions in Escherichia coli by an altered dnaB protein

The tif-1 mutation in the Escherichia coli recA gene is known to cause induction of the various "SOS" functions at high temperature, including massive synthesis of the recA protein, lethal filamentation, elevated mutagenesis, and, in lambda lysogens, induction of prophage. It is shown here that the deoxyribonucleic acid initiation mutation dnaB252 suppresses all these manifestations of tif expression. Induction of lambda by ultraviolet irradiation, however, is not affected by the dnaB252 mutation. No similar suppression of tif is observed with other dnaB mutations affecting deoxyribonucleic acid elongation or with other deoxyribonucleic acid initiation mutations at the dnaA and dnaC loci. The fact that an alteration of the dnaB protein specifically suppresses tif-mediated SOS induction implies a role of the replication apparatus in this process, as has been suggested for ultraviolet induction. The induction of lambda is known to proceed via repressor cleavage, presumably promoted by an activated (protease) form of the recA protein. Since lambda induction is normal after ultraviolet irradiation of the tif-1 dnaB252(lambda) strain, tif-mediated induction in this strain may be blocked in a tif-specific step leading to activation of the recA (tif) protein. It is possible that the recA (tif) mutant protein may be directly involved in the replication complex in processes leading to this activation.

Reconstruction of the anterior talofibular ligament for the treatment of the unstable ankle

Chronic instability of the ankle is frequently due to disruption of the fibres of the anterior talofibular ligament and the anterolateral capsule. This allows momentary subluxations at the ankle joint; the talus tilts into an abnormal varus position and rotates forwards and inwards about a vertical axis which passes through the medial malleolus. The use of a free tendon graft to reconstruct the anterior talofibular ligament restores the stability of the ankle without restricting movement at the subtalar level.

Antibodies to galactocerebroside bind to oligodendroglia in suspension culture

Antisera raised in rabbits against galactocerebroside bind to bovine oligodendroglia in suspension in significant titer as demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence. Absorption of antigalactocerebroside antiserum with galactocerebroside, oligodendroglia, or myelin markedly reduces the antigalactocerebroside antibody titer as measured by a radioimmunoprecipitation test as well as the binding to oligodendroglia. Incubation with some other galactose-containing glycolipids results in a parallel decrease in binding to oligodendroglia and reduction in antigalactocerebroside antibody titer. Antigalactocerebroside antibodies provide a useful and specific tool with which to study development of oligodendroglia and myelin as well as immunopathologic mechanisms which might be involved in demyelinating diseases.

Biospecific fractionation matrices for sequence specific endonucleases

Fractionation of several type II specific restriction endonucleases was achieved by separation on two novel biospecific matrices. The matrices are pyran, a copolymer of divinyl ether of maleic anhydride, and Cibacron Blue F3GA, a blue dye commonly used for the calibration of molecular sieves. Both compounds are insolubilized by coupling to sepharose through a cyanogen bromide linkage and in their soluble form inhibit the restriction endonucleases which we have tested. These affinity matrices can be used to obtain restriction endonucleases from crude extracts after removal of nucleic acids. They have also proven to have a high capacity when used as subsequent steps in enzyme purification. Their additional advantage is the rapid development time and reusability of columns packed with the two matrices.Images

MSH/ACTH 4-10 influences behavioral and physiological measures of attention

Eleven healthy male volunteers were infused with MSH/ACTH 4-10 and a control solution in a completely crossed and balanced procedure. Perception, attention and memory were tested as were heart rate and cephalic pulse amplitude in response to changes in the environment. Treatment of subjects with MSH/ACTH 4-10 raised their perceptual threshold for detection of simple stimuli and facilitated perceptual integration of patterned information. Administration of the heptapeptide improved the subjects' ability to discriminate tests of relevant from irrelevant information and augmented the heart-rate deceleratory response during presentation of novel stimuli. It was speculated that MSH/ACTH 4-10 has a predominant influence on attentional processes and that it may be uniquely coded for attentional/perceptual functioning.

A new approach in specific, active immunotherapy

A vaccinia virus-lysed autochthonous tumor cell vaccine (vaccinia oncolysate) is introduced as a new specific, active immunotherapeutic agent against human cancer. Mouse experiments showed the vaccine to be a safe and potent immune mechanism stimulator. Human experimentation was undertaken in the knowledge of relative safety of the components of the vaccine, i.e. vaccinia vaccine and lysed, autochthonous tumor cells. Vaccine-treated patients had advanced metastatic cancer but reacted to one or more common recall antigen skin tests. None of the 13 patients had untoward responses; 7/13 patients had classic delayed hypersensitivity reactions at the vaccine injection sites; and 2/7 patients with injection site reactions had significant reduction in tumor burden. These results indicate that this vaccine is a specific, active immune mechanism stimulator, and may prove to be a useful therapeutic agent in the treatment of human cancer.

Postural hypoxemia in quadriplegic patients

Quadriplegic patients frequently undergo unusual positional changes, including head-down tilt. To determine if hypoxemia develops in this position and whether it is related to the duration of quadriplegia, five patients were studied within 1 year of injury (group A) and five after 1 year from injury (group B). Arterial blood gases were obtained in the seated and 45-degree head-down position. Group A patients had a decrease in arterial partial pressure of oxygen in the head-down position (p less than 0.025), while group B patients did not (p greater than 0.4). This study demonstrated that quadriplegic patients have positional hypoxemia early in their course. This probably results from relative hypoventilation of the upper lung fields caused by flaccid paralysis of the intercostal muscles. The positional hypoxemia disappears with time, presumably because of the change from flaccid to spastic paralysis of the intercostal muscles.

Neuropeptide MSH/ACTH 4-10 enhances attention in the mentally retarded

Twenty adult mentally retarded men were randomly assigned to receive MSH/ACTH 4-10 or a vehicle control solution in a double blind procedure. After an intravenous injection the subjects were presented with an orienting sequence and a series of behavioral tests. Treatment with the peptide resulted in a significant decelerative heart rate response during the test stimulus of the orienting sequence. Improved performance of the intradimensional and extradimensional shift of a visual discrimination procedure was significant for subjects receiving MSH/ACTH 4-10. The pattern of response on the subproblem analysis of the extradimensional shift reflected greater dimensional attention in the subjects treated with the peptide. Attentive subjects given MSH/ACTH 4-10 evidenced significant improvement on a rhythm matching test, a test of spatial localization and a visual retention test. The data were interpreted as indicating that the peptide resulted in improved attention of stimulus processing. It was speculated that MSH/ACTH 4-10 may be unquely coded for perceptor/attentional functioning and may be useful as a treatment for disorders of attention.

Prophage induction and cell division in E. coli. III. Mutations sfiA and sfiB restore division in tif and lon strains and permit the expression of mutator properties of tif

In E. coli K12, cell filamentation promoted by tif is enhanced by the lon mutation; in contrast, prophage induction and repair of UV-irradiated phage lambda, also promoted by tif, are not affected by lon. From a tif lon double mutant, "revertants" having recovered the ability to divide at 41 degrees were isolated, among which most (95%) had also lost their Lon filamentous phenotype after ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. From these 95% of revertants: (1) 94% are suppressed for the whole Tif phenotype, by additional mutations that render them deficient in DNA repair, as judged from their high UV sensitivity; some have been characterized as recA mutants. (2) 1% have recovered a control on cell division at 41 degrees or after UV irradiation by means of secondary mutations altering neither the other phenotypic properties of tif and lon, nor the repair and recombination ability of the cells: in particular, this class of "revertants" remains thermoinducible upon lysogenisation; the mutations which specifically suppress filamentation have been mapped at two loci, sfiA and sfiB, cotransducible respectively with pyrD and leu. In the remaining 5% of revertants that still exhibit an UV-induced filamentous growth, 3% can be tentatively classified as true tif+ revertants; 2% behave as tif thermodependent revertants, showing suppression of the Tif (and Lon) phenotype only at 41 degrees: 2recAts have been identified in this class. Non-lysogenic tif lon sfi and tif sfi strains remain viable during prolonged growth at 41 degrees. Under these conditions, tif expresses mutator properties, which can be conveniently analyzed in this sfi background. The action of lif, lon and sfi mutations is tentatively interpreted on the basis of a negative control of cell division specifically associated with DNA repair.

Recovery of phage lambda from ultraviolet damage

Recovery of phage lambda from ultraviolet damage can occur, in the dark, through three types of repair processes as defined by microbiological tests: (1) host-cell reactivation, (2) prophage reactivation, and (3) UV reactivation. This paper reviews the properties of the three repair processes, analyzes their dependence on the functioning of bacterial and phase genes, and discusses their relationship. Progress in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the three repair processes has been relatively slow, particularly for UV reactivation. It has been shown that host-cell reactivation is due to pyrimidine dimer excision and that prophage reactivation is due to genetic recombination (prereplicative). We provide evidence showing that neither of these mechanisms accounts for UV reactivation of phage lambda. Furthermore, UV reactivation differs from the other repair processes in that it is inducible and error-prone. Whether UV-damaged bacterial DNA is subject to a similar repair process is still an open question.

In vitro repair of UV-irradiated Micrococcus luteus bacteriophage N1 transfecting DNA

Calcium-treated UV-sensitive, host cell reactivation(-) strains of Micrococcus luteus are infected with UV-irradiated N1 DNA. In strains lacking UV endonuclease, in vitro treatment of the irradiated DNA results in transfection enhancement.