Psychosocial characteristics of pregnant and nonpregnant HIV-seropositive women

Thirty-three HIV-positive women, 12 of whom were pregnant, participated in semistructured interviews to define areas of psychosocial need. Eighty-eight percent of the subjects reported current unemployment. A history of substance abuse was reported by 82 percent, suicide attempts by 52 percent, and sexual problems by 43 percent. Approximately 30 percent reported elevated levels of depressive symptoms on standardized symptom inventories. The pregnant women appeared psychologically healthier than the nonpregnant group. HIV-positive women face multiple psychosocial stressors and may experience significant psychological distress.     

Assessing obesity: classification and epidemiology

Obesity is generally defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 and higher. Overweight is defined as a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2. The prevalence varies considerably between countries, and between regions within countries. It is estimated that more than half of adults aged 35-65 living in Europe are either overweight or obese. Overweight is more common among men than among women but obesity is more common among women. The prevalence of obesity in Europe is probably in the order of 10-20% in men and 15-25% in adult women. In most European countries who have reliable data on time-trends the prevalence of obesity seems to be increasing. In most European countries, obesity is usually inversely associated with socio-economic status, particularly among women. New classifications of overweight may be based on cut-off points for simple anthropometric measures which reflects both total adiposity as well as abdominal fatness.     

Hepatectomy with hypothermic perfusion of the liver

Whereas most liver resections can be performed within 60 min, the period of vascular clamping and resulting ischemia may prove too short to allow complex major liver resections (MLR) especially on diseased livers. To overcome this problem, cooling of the liver with 4 degrees C preservations solution routinely used in liver transplantation may be used in three different approaches to MLR: I "In situ": the liver remains in the abdomen and integrity of afferent and efferent vessels is conserved. II "Ex situ-in vivo": the liver exteriorized from the abdomen by transecting all hepatic veins, remains connected to the porta hepatis. III "Ex vivo": the liver being removed from the abdomen, the MLR is performed extracorporeally. Of 15 MLR reported here, 11 were performed "in situ" and 4 "ex situ-in vivo"/Nowadays, the liver surgeon's "toolbox" must contain hypothermic liver perfusion. In carefully selected cases, these techniques allow MLR on diseases livers or mandating complex vascular procedures.     

Preparation and properties of mitochondria derived from synaptosomes

A method has been developed whereby a fraction of rat brain mitochondria (synaptic mitochondria) was isolated from synaptosomes. This brain mitochondrial fraction was compared with the fraction of "free" brain mitochondria (non-synaptic) isolated by the method of Clark & Nicklas (1970). (J. Biol. Chem. 245, 4724-4731). Both mitochondrial fractions are shown to be relatively pure, metabolically active and well coupled. 2. The oxidation of a number of substrates by synaptic and non-synaptic mitochondria was studied and compared. Of the substrates studied, pyruvate plus malate was oxidized most rapidly by both mitochondrial populations. However, the non-synaptic mitochondria oxidized glutamate plus malate almost twice as rapidly as the synaptic mitochondria. 3. The activities of certain tricarboxylic acid-cycle and related enzymes in synaptic and non-synaptic mitochondria were determined. Citrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.7), isocitrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.41) and malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) activities were similar in both fractions, but pyruvate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.4.1) activity in non-synaptic mitochondria was higher than in synaptic mitochondria and glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.3) activity in non-synaptic mitochondria was lower than that in synaptic mitochondria. 4. Comparison of synaptic and non-synaptic mitochondria by rate-zonal separation confirmed the distinct identity of the two mitochondrial populations. The non-synaptic mitochondria had higher buoyant density and evidence was obtained to suggest that the synaptic mitochondria might be heterogeneous. 5. The results are also discussed in the light of the suggested connection between the heterogeneity of brain mitochondria and metabolic compartmentation.     

Neural basis for the genesis and control of digitalis arrhythmias

The author discussed the increase in the frequency of traumatic paralyses of the ocular muscles, and reported 6 cases of inferior oblique muscle paresis caused by local blunt or sharp traumas (haematoma, contusion, rupture, incarceration) and one case of traumatic Brownian pseudo-paralysis. The localisation of the injuries in 3 cases was on the inferior temporal part and in the other 3 cases on the superior part of the bulbar conjunctiva. Atypical horizontal deviation and characteristic vertical deviation, torsion and torticollis were observed in the majority of cases. One patient recovered spontaneously. 3 patients became asymptomatic after correction by prisms and one after recession of contralateral superior rectus muscle. The symptoms remained unchanged in the case of a "blow out" fracture (in spite of operation) and a Brown's syndrome (without treatment).     

Surgical salvage after radiation for laryngeal cancer

From January, 1962, through December, 1973, 1,084 patients with cancer of the intrinsic larynx were treated at the Mayo Clinic. Of the 1,084 patients, 136 were retreated after radiation therapy failed to cure their cancer (105 glottic, 30 supraglottic, and one subglottic cancers). Recurrence of glottic cancer was generally recognized later than recurrences in the supraglottic area; likewise, glottic cancers were more advanced at recurrence than supraglottic growths. When feasible, conservation surgery was carried out on both glottic and supraglottic growths. Unfortunately, many growths were too advanced for conservation surgery by the time recurrence was recognized. The concept of "radiate-and-watch" for early glottic and supraglottic cancers is designed to save larynges. The concept is not supported by this study.     

Transduction properties of tracheal stretch receptors

1. Using single fibre vagal afferent recording, we have studied the behavior of slowly adapting stretch receptors located in an isolated, in situ, segment of the trachea in dogs. Responses to positive and negative steady and oscillating transmural pressures were investigated. 2. Seventy-eight per cent of the receptors studied were tonically active at resting tracheal volume. Ninety per cent showed a more pronounced response to positive than to negative transmural pressures. 3. During pressure oscillations the majority of the receptors had a higher discharge frequency at any given pressure during the ascending phase of the pressure wave than at the same pressure under static conditions. During most of the ensuing descent of pressure toward zero the discharge frequency led transmural pressure. 4. With increasing frequency of oscillation the differences from the static responses increased (dP/dt sensitivity), especially during the ascending limb of the pressure oscillation (rectifying behavior). 5. In a small number of receptors, discharge frequency lagged behind transmural pressure or was in phase with it ("no loop" pattern). 6. In three cases the same receptor exhibited dP/dt sensitivity during positive pressure oscillations, whereas discharge frequency lagged behind pressure during negative pressure oscillations. This indicates that the lack of dP/dt sensitivity exhibited under negative pressure conditions does not represent an intrinsic property of these receptors, but reflects some aspect of their mechanical arrangement within the airway wall. 7. THESE PATTERNS OF RESPONSE ARE DISCUSSed in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of the receptors. 8. The physiological implications of stretch receptor behaviour are also considered.     

The cheating and intention of a partner as determinants of evaluative decisions among juvenile offenders

A 17 year-old male, who was mentally and bodily retarded from the age of 7 years. At the age of 16 years, several neurological signs appeared. Pathologically, there was widespread myelin loss and tissue sponginess in the white matter of the cerebrum and cerebellum, bilaterally and symmetrically. A great many Alzheimer type II glia and Opalski glia were widely distributed in the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia. Despite severe destruction of the white matter, mesenchymal and gliofibre proliferation were not noticed. In the liver, Laennec's cirrhosis and a great many copper granules in the cytoplasm of the parenchymal cells were identified. From the above mentioned findings the present case, being a new type, could be called "Demyelinating type of Wilson's disease".     

锁存继电器的CMOS电路

控制应用经常要求将一只继电器锁存定位,直到需要改变其状态时为止。完成这个任务的是锁存继电器。当给它们发送一个脉冲时,它们可能保持在当前状态,也可能改变状态,具体取决于脉冲的极性以及继电器当前状态。图1中电路会根据一