The etiology of pneumonia in malnourished and well-nourished Gambian children

During a 2-year period 159 malnourished children ages 3 months to 5 years with radiologic evidence of pneumonia were investigated to determine the cause of their pneumonia. In addition 119 malnourished children without pneumonia, 119 well-nourished children with pneumonia and 52 well-nourished children without pneumonia were studied as controls. Percutaneous lung aspiration was performed on 35 malnourished and 59 well-nourished children with pneumonia. Bacteria were isolated from the blood, lung or pleural fluid of 28 (18%) malnourished children with pneumonia, 42 (35%) well-nourished children with pneumonia and from the blood of 5 (4%) malnourished children without pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, which were the two organisms isolated most frequently in both groups of children with pneumonia, were found in 17 (11%) malnourished and 39 (33%) well-nourished children with pneumonia. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected in 5 malnourished children with pneumonia. A potentially pathogenic virus was identified in 35% of malnourished children with pneumonia and 40% of well-nourished children with pneumonia, and from 25% of children without pneumonia. The viruses identified most frequently were adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Analysis of DNA polymorphism detected by genomic fingerprinting based on phage M13 DNA, in populations of Bashkir and Komi

Hyperpolymorphism of minisatellite DNA, detected using the M13 bacteriophage DNA hybridization probe, was studied in three ethnographic groups of Bashkirs and in the Komi population. Bands from 2 to 20 kb were analyzed in hybridization patterns. A significant population difference was detected both in evaluation of the average number of hybridization fragments per individuals and in the distribution of frequency of some fractions. Thus, it seems possible to describe a set of so-called characteristic fractions for each population. According to the hybridization fragment frequency for the populations investigated, an index of genetic similarity was calculated. The possibility of using this kind of multiple polymorphism of DNA in population genetic investigations at the level of ethnic groups and peoples is discussed, and a conclusion is made about the necessity of searching for the most informative methods of analyzing the data obtained.     

Distributions of GABAA, GABAB, and benzodiazepine receptors in the forebrain and midbrain of pigeons

The single-stranded DNA parvoviruses occur in humans and many species of animals. In general, they are species-specific and capable of producing disease at any stage of life. Parvoviruses have a requirement to replicate in cells in a permissive S-phase of DNA mitosis. The infections may be cytolytic to select cell groups resulting in specific developmental defects or may produce more generalized effects such as anemia, pancytopenia, or hemorrhage. The fetus is at particular risk for damage because of the vast number of cells in active mitosis. The teratogenic effects may be severe, often resulting in fetal death. Infections in childhood and adulthood are more frequently mild to subclinical. Some of the teratogenic effects recognized in animal species have been identified in humans. With increased knowledge of parvovirus effects in animals, more pathogenic effects may be related to human parvoviral disease. The need for vaccination, currently used annually in many domestic animal species, continues to be evaluated for humans.     

Low particulate type IV phosphodiesterase activity in hypothyroid rat atria

Rats were made hypothyroid by adding propylthiouracil (PTU) to their drinking water. Some of the PTU-treated rats were given thyroid hormone injections for 5 days. Both soluble and particulate cAMP-phosphodiesterase activities of adipose and ventricular tissues were increased by 25-60% in hypothyroidism. In left atria, soluble cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity was not significantly altered in hypothyroidism, while total particulate cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity was lowered by 30%. This lowering was due to diminished isoenzyme IV activity, as studied with the isoenzyme-specific inhibitors rolipram and SK&F 94836. In conclusion, the present results show decreased particulate type IV cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity in hypothyroid rat atria. This may explain the increased responsiveness to isoproterenol in hypothyroid atria.     

Changes in Pore Size Distribution upon Thermal Cycling of TATB‐based Explosives Measured by Ultra‐Small Angle X‐Ray Scattering

Hot‐spot models of initiation and detonation show that voids or porosity ranging from nanometer to micrometer in size within highly insensitive energetic materials affect initiability and detonation properties. Thus, the knowledge of the void size distribution, and how it changes with the volume expansion seen with temperature cycling, are important to understanding the properties of the insensitive explosive 1,3,5‐triamino‐2,4,6‐trinitrobenzene (TATB). In this paper, void size distributions in the 2 nm to 2 μm regime, obtained from small‐angle X‐ray scattering measurements, are presented for LX‐17‐1, PBX‐9502, and ultra‐fine TATB formulations, both as processed and after thermal cycling. Two peaks were observed in the void size distribution: a narrow peak between 7–10 nm and a broad peak between 20 nm and about 1 mm. The first peak was attributed to porosity intrinsic to the TATB crystallites. The larger pores were believed to be intercrystalline, a result of incomplete consolidation during processing and pressing. After thermal cycling, these specimens showed an increase in both the number and size of these larger pores. These results illuminate the nature of the void distributions in these TATB‐based explosives from 2 nm to 2 μm and provide empirical experimental input for computational models of initiation and detonation.