A new serum alpha-amylase assay of high sensitivity

This four-week study included 336 patients aged eleven to 80 years with complaints suggestive of stress-related emotional lability, and was intened to discover a possible relationship between the effects of pimozide and the initial psychic defence phenomena in this condition: the discouragement type of reaction was registered in 243 cases, overcompensation in 80, and a mixture of the two in the remaining 13. In most cases, the daily dose of pimozide remained close to the initial 2 mg, and treatment could be entirely discontinued after three-four weeks in five patients. Control evaluation after two and four weeks revealed a significant improvement of all pathological scores of a 17-item questionnaire, but failed to show any susbstantial difference between the three subgroups. No side-effects were reported.     

Diagnosis of hyperventilation for elimination of false-positive results of physical exercise test

The study was conducted in 55 patients with cardiac pains. Electrocardiography was used successively prior to, during and following physical exercises, followed by Seldinger selective coronary angiography, and electrocardiography prior to, during and following hyperventilation tests. In 2 of 55 patients the result of the exercise test was interpreted as false-positive, since the coronary angiography demonstrated intact vessels, and during hyperventilation ECG recorded a decreased ST segment. To avoid false-positive results in patients with suspected angina pectoris the physical exercises tests can be considered positive only in cases in which hyperventilation caused no ECG changes typical for angina pectoris.     

Traumatic neuroma of the nose

We report a case of a traumatic neuroma of the nose. It was an unusual site for two distinct types of tissue response to skin and soft trauma that exceeded the reparative needs of the body. In the first instance, a small cutaneous nerve was sectioned, and its inability to establish continuity distally resulted in a neuroma. In the second instance, the excision site of the neuroma was reinjured, and an abnormal connective tissue response occurred, resulting in a hypertrophic scar or keloid. Both were treated similarly with excision, and ultimately with local steroid injection with satisfactory results.     

Persistent acute renal failure with renal artery stenosis: cure following reconstructive arterial operation

A case of acute renal failure is reported in which renal function returned after surgical correction of renal artery stenosis to the sole functioning kidney. Acute renal failure associated with renal vascular lesions is reviewed. Although often clinically apparent vascular obstruction may be asymptomatic and should be considered in cases of prolonged acute renal failure.     

In vivo response of ornithine decarboxylase activity to growth hormone as demonstrated by oxidation of L-ornithine-1-14C in hypophysectomized rats

A photograph of a nude was interpolated midway through a 30-item list. Recognition memory of items at various serial positions was measured by presenting 12 old and 12 new pictures on a test trial. Palmar conductance was also measured. Significantly decreased recognition memory and increased palmar conductance accompanied presentation of the picture of the nude. When the two measures were compared for individual subjects, however, no correlation was found. These data suggest that both responses are likely to occur to the presentation of the critical item but that the responses are independent.     

Seasonal variation in light penetration and subsurface chlorophyll-α in southern Lake Michigan observed by a glider

The Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR) in collaboration with the Great Lakes Observing System and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (NOAA GLERL) deployed an autonomous underwater glider in southern Lake Michigan several times per year between 2012 and 2019 to collect offshore (>30 m depth) limnological measurements, including temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (beginning during 2015), and chlorophyll-α fluorescence. From these data, we calculated mixed layer depth, several measures of light penetration (diffuse attenuation coefficient, first optical depth, euphotic zone depth), and depth of the subsurface chlorophyll-α maxima. During summer, mean offshore mixed layer depth was typically 10–15 m, K_d for PAR was 0.1–0.17 m^?1, first optical depth was 6–9 m, euphotic zone depth was 35–40 m, and depth of subsurface chlorophyll-α maxima was 30–35 m. We also observed substantial spatial and temporal variation in these values across the basin and within and among seasons. Glider-based observations provide a wider horizontal and vertical perspective than other methods (e.g., ship- and satellite-based observations, buoys, and fixed moorings), and are therefore a valuable, complementary tool for Great Lakes limnology. The set of observations reported here provide seasonal and basin-scale information that may help to identify anomalies useful for future glider-assisted investigation into the role of biophysical processes in Great Lakes limnology and ecology.     

Effect of barrier width on performance of long wavelengthGaInAs/InP multi-quantum-well lasers

It is demonstrated that lasing thresholds in GaInAs/InP MQW lasers under electrical injection are sensitive to the InP barrier thickness and that reducing the barrier width contributes significantly to achieving low-threshold, room temperature operation. In contrast, lasing thresholds under optical pumping show a relative insensitivity to the barrier width. The authors show that this behaviour is consistent with preferential hole capture in the leading wells     

Extracellular matrix survival signals transduced by focal adhesion kinase suppress p53-mediated apoptosis

In many malignant cells, both the anchorage requirement for survival and the function of the p53 tumor suppressor gene are subverted. These effects are consistent with the hypothesis that survival signals from extracellular matrix (ECM) suppress a p53-regulated cell death pathway. We report that survival signals from fibronectin are transduced by the focal adhesion kinase (FAK). If FAK or the correct ECM is absent, cells enter apoptosis through a p53-dependent pathway activated by protein kinase C lambda/iota and cytosolic phospholipase A2. This pathway is suppressible by dominant-negative p53 and Bcl2 but not CrmA. Upon inactivation of p53, cells survive even if they lack matrix signals or FAK. This is the first report that p53 monitors survival signals from ECM/FAK in anchorage- dependent cells.     

Parathyroid hormone (1-34) increased total body bone mass in aged female rats

Daily subcutaneous administration of bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH)(1-34) stimulates bone formation and increases bone mass in rat tibiae, femora and lumbar spine. However, the effects of PTH on the whole body bone mineral content and density determined by dual energy x-ray absortiometry (DEXA) have not been previously reported in rats. Eighteen-month-old intact female rats were subcutaneously injected daily with 0, 40, 80 or 160 micrograms/kg/day of bovine PTH (1-34) for either 15 or 60 days. Whole body DEXA was performed at 1 day before autopsy, and bone area, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the total body were determined. Total femoral, tibial and lumbar spine BMD was also determined ex vivo. Cancellous bone histomorphometry was performed on sections of double-labeled proximal tibial metaphyses. Whole body bone mineral content and density were significantly increased by 60 days, but not by 15 days, of PTH treatment at all dose groups compared with vehicle controls. Lumbar vertebral and total femoral BMD was significantly increased at all doses of PTH by 15 days of administration and further increased by 60 days. All doses of PTH increased trabecular bone area in proximal tibial metaphyses by 15 days and further increased by 60 days. All doses of PTH increased trabecular bone area in proximal tibial metaphyses by 15 days and further increased by 60 days. In proximal tibial cancellous bone, dose-dependent increases in percent labeled perimeter, mineral apposition rate and bone formation rate-bone volume referent were found between 40 and 160 micrograms/kg of PTH treatment by 15 days, and no further increases were found by 60 days. Our results showed that in aged female rats, bovine PTH(1-34) increased bone formation and total body bone mass.