Vulvar histology after neutral red photoinactivation of herpes simplex virus

The use of photodynamic dye and light inactivation for the treatment of genital herpes simplex virus infections has been associated with the risk of potential oncogenesis. Sixteen patients treated with neutral red and fluorescent light for documented herpetic infections were studied at intervals ranging from 9 to 52 months following treatment. Four patients treated with other modalities were included in the study. Biopsies of the treated areas were obtained, and 3925 tissue sections were examined. Mild atypical epithelial changes were focally present in most specimens regardless of therapy. Histologically identifiable premalignant change could not be demonstrated.     

Effect of operant conditioning of heart rate on plasma renin activity

Cardioacceleration produced by operant conditioning was associated with elevation of plasma renin activity. This study suggests that emotional stimuli, which produce cardioacceleration, may also cause increased renin secretion, thus providing a mechanism by which factors operating through the mind and sodium intake could summate in the production of hypertension.     

Affinity chromatography of human plasma and platelet factor XIII on organomercurial agarose

A method for affinity chromatography of plasma and platelet factor XIII has been developed, based on known structural characteristics of these molecules. Plasma factor XIII is composed of a and b subunits which are held together by noncovalent interactions; platelet factor XIII has only a subunits. a subunit contains free sulfhydryl groups, while in b subunit all the cystines form disulfide bonds. The affinity gel is an organomercurial agarose with p-chloromercuribenzoate as the reactive group. Both the zymogen and activated forms of a subunit reversibly bind to the ligand by forming covalent mercaptide bonds and are eluted by reducing agents. b subunit does not bind to the affinity gel and is held to it only through interaction with a subunit. Affinity chromatography can be used to purify plasma and platelet factor XIII and to study interactions of the subunits. Experiments on the affinity chromatography of purified plasma factor XIII in several stages of activation agree with earlier observations that activation is a two-step procedure in which b subunit is not quantitatively released from the complex until the final stage of activation by Ca2+.     

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.     

Methods and technique of investigations in the course of sport activities of children (author's transl)

In order to carry out investigations in the course of sport activities of children an efficient telemetering device is essential, which can also be used on children. The Kinderspital Salzburg has developed a telemetry system in cooperation with the Technische Versuchs- und Forschungsanstalt der Technischen Hochschule Wien and the Messerschmitt-B?lkow-Blohm-Werke München. For the first time in this field a Pulse Code Modulation (P.C.M.) System was utilized, implying high accuracy on data transmission and recovery as required for scientific examinations. The children's physical capacity is determined on a bicycle ergometer, and the performance measured in this fashion is then compared with the performance achieved in sport.     

Primary pericardial mesothelioma

This study reports the results of analysis concerning some chemical characteristics of 63 samples of tomato juice and paste. Copper was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry and its average content was 32 ppm. This is not a critical value for human health and results below the upper limit provided by law of several european and not european countries.     

Metabolic activation of aromatic hydrocarbons in purified rat liver nuclei: induction of enzyme activities and binding to DNA with and without monooxygenase-catalyzed formation of active oxygen

Purified rat liver nuclei covalently bound low levels of seven aromatic [14C]hydrocarbons to nuclear DNA. Induction with 3-methylcholanthrene increased the binding of six carcinogenic hydorcarbons, but did not raise the level of binding of noncarcinogenic anthracence. Removal of the nuclear envelope by Triton N-101 eliminated binding and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities and cytochrome P-450 from the nuclei. Binding of two of two strong carcinogens, benzo[a]pyrene and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, to nuclear DNA was compared to the levels of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and cytochrome P-450 in nuclei from uninduced and benz[a]anthracene-, 3-methylcholanthrene-, and phenobarbital-induced rats. Microsomal hydroxylase and cytochrome P-450 were also assayed. Induction with 3-methylcholanthrene gave the largest increases in nuclear activities: 11 times as much hydroxylase, 6 times as much cytochrome P-450, and 4 times as much binding of both hydrocarbons. Benz[a]anthracene and phenobarbital induced these nuclear activities 0- to 4-fold. In the presence of added NADPH, binding of benzol[a]pyrene to DNA by nuclei increased rapidly for at least 20 min. When NADPH was not added, the reaction stopped at a low level in 5 min. When CO was bubbled through the reaction mixture with or without added NADPH, binding of benzo[a]pyrene and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene was partially inhibited, indicating that cytochrome P-450 plays a role in this activation. Since no nuclear hydroxylase activity was seen without added NADPH or in the presence of CO, activation and subsequent binding of hydrocarbons to nuclear DNA, at least in part, does not require the activated oxygen used in monooxygenase reactions.     

Antibodies to Candida after operations on the heart

In order to determine the frequency of hypoxaemia and to evaluate the role of increased closing capacity in producing hypoxaemia in patients with cirrhosis of the liver, 13 patients with well-established cirrhosis were studied. Arterial blood gases, spirometry, lung volume, and closing capacity measurements were made with the patients in the seated and recumbent positions after exclusion of cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Four of 13 and six of 12 patients exhibited significant hypoxaemia in the seated and recumbent positions respectively. Five of 13 patients showed a closing capacity greater than predicted. This frequency of increased closing capacity was not higher than in a group of smokers of the same age. Unlike Ruff et al. (1971), we did not find a consistent relationship between hypoxaemia and closing capacity.