A simple method for calculating left ventricular functions from angiographic data using a programmable hand calculator

The end diastolic volume and systolic ejection fraction have gained increasing acceptance as important indicators of ventricular performance. Time consuming calculations and lack of computer facilities have hindered the emergence of these calculations as a routine part of cardiac catheterization studies. The introduction of the programmable hand calculator has provided means for rapid analysis of ventricular volume data in an efficient and inexpensive manner. In this paper the step-by-step procedure for programming the hand calculator is given, as well as instructions for entering raw data and obtaining final calculations. Programs are given for both single plane and biplane cine angiographic studies.     

Anatomical study of the cervical sympathetic trunk and ganglia in the albino rat (Mus norvegicus albinus)

Nine adult albino rats of both sexes were studied. 16 sympathetic trunks and ganglia were dissected in detail in eight rats. The right and left superior cervical ganglion and the sympathetic trunk below the ganglion were removed from an additional rat. The cell bodies of these ganglia and the axons of the trunks were counted with the aid of light and electron microscopy. Considering the number and location of ganglia and patterns of branching, the rat's cervical sympathetic nervous system compares closely with man's. There appears to be a relationship between body size and myelination of preganglionic neurons in the cervical sympathetic trunks, with smaller animals having the least number of myelinated fibers.     

Characterization of natriuretic activity from posterior pituitary lobes

Previous studies have indicated the existence of natriuretic factors of hormonal nature with the posterior pituitary gland as a possible site of origin. It was in this light that a series of experiments was designed to examine the posterior pituitary for such factors. Acetic acid extracts of porcine and bovine posterior pituitary lobe tissue were subjected to gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. Several fractions in the molecular size range of 1000 were obtained which possessed potent natriuretic activity as assayed in rats. The activity of these fractions maximally increased sodium excretion to 6-8 muequiv./min, a 10- to 40-fold increase above control, when administered intraperitoneally to hydropenic, conscious rats. However, oxytocin and vasopressin, present in the posterior pituitary are natriuretic. These hormones were measured by radioimmunoassay, and invariably only those fractions which contained vasopressin and (or) oxytocin possessed natriuretic activity. Moreover, the extent of the natriuresis could be accounted for by the vasopressin and (or) oxytocin content of the test fractions. The natriuretic property of this material was abolished by treatment with thioglycollate. Further purification of natriuretic fractions by ion exchange resins, thin-layer chromatography and isoelectric focusing failed to resolve natriuretic activity from vasopressin and oxytocin. Similar results were observed following analysis of fractions isolated by gel filtration of acetic acid extracts of ventral hypothalamus tissue. The natriuretic fractions isolated from hypothalamic tissue were indistinguishable from oxytocin and vasopressin. These experiments suggest that the natriuretic activity in neurohypophyseal extracts can be attributed to oxytocin and vasopressin.     

Detection and estimation of azomethane in expired air of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-treated rats

Azomethane (AM) gas was identified as a major metabolite of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (1,2-DMH) in the expired air of F344 rats. The compound was characterized by high-pressure liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry, in comparison to a synthetic standard. At a dose of 21 mg 1,2-DMH/kg sc, approximately 14 and 11% of the dose were exhaled as AM and CO2, respectively, in 24 hours. At 200 mg 1,2-DMH/kg, 23 and 4% of the dose appeared as AM and CO2, respectively, in the respired air within the same period. Most AM was seen in the first 6 hours, but the CO2 evolution was more progressive, especially after the higher dose of 1,2-DMH.     

Common complications of vaginal hysterectomy: thoughts regarding their prevention and management

Quantitative estimates were computed for exponential coefficients and rate constants contributing to afferent unit impulse responses obtained from bundles innervating specific regions of the semicircular canal. The grouping of these estimates into specific response classes provided quantitative correlations with specific anatomical regions of innervation of the crista. Linear system gain and phase spectra were computed also, by applying Fourier transformations to unit impulse responses, for purposes of comparison with previous studies employing frequency domain analyses. Responses fitted by third-order linear system equations were specific to afferents innervating the crest and transition regions of the crista; whereas those fitted by overdamped, second-order equations were specific to afferents innervating the slopes and transition crista regions. It was concluded that strictly mechanical models of the transduction process are inadequate to account for the diverse and spatially distributed classes of observed responses and, moreover, structural features such as different hair cell types or efferent innervation effects could be excluded as inoperative in this preparation. The alternative hypothesis was suggested that certain of the observed subcomponents could be direct reflections of the initial mechanical stimulus, but that other subcomponents were reflections of more complex filtering mechanisms operating at the cellular or synaptic levels.     

Changes in the hatch rate of Haemonchus contortus eggs between geographic regions

Vulvar phenotypes and the rate of development of eggs over a range of temperatures were used to compare Haemonchus contortus populations in New York State and Ohio. These parameters indicated that the westernmost boundary of the subspecies Haemonchus contortus cayugensis is the Chautauqua valley in New York. The Haemonchus ecotype in Ohio had a vulvar phenotype formula similar to that described for the subspecies Haemonchus contortus contortus. The relationship between slope and intercept of the regression of rate of egg hatch on temperature was different for morphs within ecotypes as well as between the New York and Ohio ecotypes. Linguiform-A appeared to be the cold-adapted morph in both ecotypes. Smooth was the warm-adapted morph in New York with linguiform-B filling that niche in Ohio.     

Striated muscle in the pineal gland of swine

Striated muscle fibers (or cells) were observed in three of the six swine pineal glands. The muscle fibers occurred in clusters of several fibers about the parenchymal blood vessels. They were in general poorly developed, lacked regular cross striations and were not readily recognized histologically. The muscle fibers were, however, easily identified on electron microscopy because of the myofilaments they contain. In most of the muscle fibers, the myofilaments were arranged in ill-defined, disorderly bundles and rarely formed well-defined myofibrils and sarcomeres. The sarcotubular system was also poorly developed and triads were sparse and randomly scattered. Leptomeres were observed in several muscle fibers. The source of the muscle fibers in the pineal glands is not well understood and, whatever the source may be, the muscle fibers seem to remain poorly developed in the pineal glands.     

The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in commercially prepared plasma products

Commercially available lots of plasma derivatives prepared between 1957 and 1975 were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by radioimmunoassay. In all, 69 per cent of lots of plasma protein fraction, 40 per cent of factor IX concentrate, 20 per cent of normal serum albumin, 13 per cent of antihemophilic factor, 3 per cent of fibrinogen, and 0.7 per cent of immune serum globulin lots tested were HBsAg-positive. There was great variation in the prevalence of HBsAg-positive lots of each product among the different manufacturers, reflecting not only differences in methods of processing plasma, but also differences in donor populations. Those manufacturers relying upon volunteer donor plasma or placental source material demonstrated lower rates of HBsAg-positive lots of final products than those relying upon commercial donor plasma. There was a marked decrease in the prevalence of positive lots during the period 1971 to 1973, coincident with the onset of routine plasma donor screening for HBsAg. However, current requirements for plasma screening have not resulted in totally HBsAg-free plasma products. Use of more sensitive and more reliable tests for HBsAg will probably reduce contamination of plasma pools with HBsAg to undetectable levels. Despite HBsAg-status, however, the "high-risk" plasma products (fibrinogen, antihemophilic factor, factor IX concentrate) must still be considered capable of transmitting hepatitis and used only with the strictest indications.     

A multifactorial study of patients with asthma. Part 2: air pollution, animal dander and asthma symptoms

As part of a multifactorial computer-assisted study of patients with asthma, the relationship between air pollution, animal dander and asthma symptoms was evaluated. No association was found between four major air pollutants (carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide) and asthma symptoms. Patients who owned cats and dogs reported more severe asthma symptoms (p less than .01) than patients who did not own cats and dogs. The evaluations completed to date indicate that daily exposure to cats and dogs accounts for more of the asthma symptoms differences between patients than daily exposure to air pollutants.     

Outpatient chemotherapy of advanced breast cancer in a community setting: a five-drug regimen

Forty-two (37 evaluable) unselected women with advanced breast carcinoma were treated with a modified "Cooper regimen" in a community setting. After 12 weeks of induction therapy, the patients were evaluated for response and toxicity. The 74% overall response rate (78% in the evaluable group) compares favorably with that of other series. The median duration of remission was 13.7 months. The median survival was 17 months for the evaluable patients and 14 months for the entire group. Twenty-two percent of the patients required hospitalization during the induction phase, and 35% were treated exclusively as outpatients during all phases of therapy. There was only one drug-related death. It is concluded that a complex chemotherapeutic regimen can be managed adequately by physicians experienced in chemotherapy in a community setting with results comparable to those from cancer centers.