Maintenance therapy of depression

This paper summarises findings from a study of maintenance treatment in predominantly neurotic depressive responding to initial treatment with amitriptyline. Patients were continued on amitriptyline for eight months, withdrawn double-blind to placebo after two months, or withdrawn overtly to no medication, with and without individual psychotherapy from social workers in the factorial design. Continuation significantly reduced early relapse and symptom return, compared with either condition of early withdrawal. Psychotherapy improved social adjustment after eight months in patients who did not relapse, without any significant interactions. Side effects were minimal, except for carbohydrate craving. These findings suggest that tricyclic antidepressants should be routinely continued for several months after drug-induced remission.     

A set of electrophoretic molecular markers for strain typing and population genetic studies of Histoplasma capsulatum

A set of eleven biallelic and three multiallelic molecular markers have been developed to analyze populations of Histoplasma capsulatum. All markers are amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and can be readily scored using minimal amounts of template DNA. The 11 biallelic loci have polymorphic restriction endonuclease sites or small insertions or deletions which may be assessed by agarose gel electrophoresis. These markers are inherited in an unambiguous manner and are ideal for assessing structure and gene flow within US populations of H. capsulatum, but are monomorphic in non-US populations. Both length and sequence variation are present in the multiallelic loci, which can be scored by direct sequencing, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, or single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP): As they are hypervariable, the multiallelic loci can be used to type isolates and to assess the level of genetic variation within populations. Preliminary results indicate that the three multiallelic markers presented are sufficient to distinguish isolates at the individual level and are polymorphic in both US and non-US populations. This collection of molecular markers will be a useful tool in population and epidemiology studies of H. capsulatum.     

Congenital perforation of the triangular fibrocartilage of the wrist

The triangular fibrocartilages (TFC) of 136 wrist joints from 48 fetuses and 20 infants fresh cadavers without any evidence of known deformity and injury were studied. Perforations of the TFC were found not only in infants (18.8%), but also in fetuses (25%). The difference between the incidences of the perforations in the two groups is not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Furthermore, we did not find that perforation of the TFC is correlated with either sex or side of wrists (P > 0.05). Histologically, the vascularity and cellularity of the TFC have no significant correlation with the absence or presence of perforation in it. We believe that, besides trauma, inflammation and degeneration, some perforations of the TFCs are congenital in origin, which all take the form of fissure and are located mainly in the radial half of the TFC.     

Control of food handling by cutaneous receptor input in squirrels

In a complementary neuroanatomical study by Brenowitz in 1980, it was shown that tree squirrels (Sciurus niger) have a higher relative density of mechanoreceptors in their glabrous forepaw skin than do ground squirrels (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus). The main purpose of this sudy was to test the prediction that tree squirrels would depend upon somatic sensory (cutaneous) input from their forepaws to a greater extent than would ground squirrels in food handling behavior. In addition, a series of more general questions about the sensory control of food handling was examined. First, using different sized food items, it was shown that food handling (rate of manipulation) is subject to sensory control, in general. Secondly, comparision of sham-operated groups with groups receiving median nerve (innervating the palmar surface) lesions showed that cutaneous input from the volar surface of the forepaw contributes to the sensory control in both species of squirrels. Thirdly, comparison of lesion effects in the two species showed that, as predicted, tree squirrels depend upon cutaneous input from their volar forepaw to a greater extent than do ground squirrels. Fourthly, by reanalyzing the above data it was shown that there is continued sensory feedback from food items rather than only an initial evaluation of them.     

Cytomorphometric markers for uterine cancer in intermediate cells

Precise microphotometric assessment of intermediate cells from patients with normal cervical cytology and from patients with dysplasia or carcinoma in situ shows the existence of small but consistent differences. Marker features for the presence of premalignant and malignant disease can be extracted from the cell images of "normal"-appearing intermediate cells. The marker features and their diagnostic classification potential are described.     

Lumbosacral movement in the sit-and-reach and in Cailliet's protective-hamstring stretch

STUDY DESIGN: This study analyzed movement characteristics of subjects as they performed two different hamstring stretching activities. OBJECTIVES: The study determined if there were differences in lumbosacral movement as the subjects performed the two stretches. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Cailliet contends that his protective hamstring stretch is less apt to be stressful to the structures of the spine than is a more commonly done sit-and-reach stretching activity. No previous biomechanical investigation has tested his contention. METHODS: Lumbosacral movement was measured with an Ady-Hall lumbar monitor as 40 university students (20 males, 20 females) performed a popular sit-and-reach test and a sit-and-reach test that subscribed to Cailliet's protective hamstring stretch protocol. RESULTS: Lumbosacral movement was almost identical in the two stretching activities. CONCLUSIONS: If lumbosacral movement is the only criterion to consider in evaluating the safety of these two stretching activities, it makes little difference which activity is chosen. If moment of inertia were the dependent variable rather than lumbosacral movement, possibly one activity may be less stressful to the structures of the spine than the other.