Food for inefficient thought

Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing 0, 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 ppm of methoxychlor for 16 weeks under ad libitum- and restricted-feeding regimens. Methoxychlor at 10,000 ppm was lethal to some rats, reduced food consumption and growth, and increased liver weight relative to body weight. Methoxychlor at 1,000 ppm reduced food consumption and growth of rats fed ad libitum but did not reduce growth of restricted-fed rats. Reduced hepatic storage of vitamin A was detectable when methoxychlor was fed at levels of 100 ppm or higher.     

Strain differences among chickens in tonic immobility: evidence for an emotionality component

Substantial strain differences in tonic immobility were found between different breeds of chickens. Crossbreeding between strains showing different immobility durations yielded hybrids that exhibited intermediate reactions. For purpose of relating the strain differences in tonic immobility to more conventional measures of emotionality, data were collected on open-field activity, defecation, and adrenal weight. Overall, the results implicated strain-specific differences in emotionality as being the basis for the observed differences in immobility. Latency to defecate in an open field, however, was highly correlated with latency to ambulate. It was argued that defecation, rather than being an absolute measure of fear or emotionality, may in fact be an intermediate response to gradual fear reduction.     

Office otology follow-up

The validation of otological care in the previous quarter century has been based, by and large, on short-term follow-up information. The rapid variation in procedures introduced during this period indicates that there may be need for further consideration. Analyses based on relatively short duration have led the "acceptance" of a variety of diagnostic and treatment methods which have proven disappointing in some cases. To help avoid this invalid "acceptance," a review of patients with significant follow-up may result in a more critical evaluation of future procedural changes. This presentation will be in four parts: 1. History of the office structure. 2. Discussion of five long-term patients that illustrates and supports certain otological concepts. 3. A review of surgical care for chronic suppurative otitis media in 1968. 4. A review of patients treated for serous otitis media with myringotomy and tubal insertion in 1968.     

RNA metabolism of the normal and the copper treated human endometrium

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) metabolism of the normal and copper-treated ( Cu-T200 IUD) human endometrium was investigated. The relative concentration of total, messenger, ribosomal and transfer RNA was measured in normal and Cu-treated endometrium using the technique of affinity chromatography in polysepharose. The transition from the proli ferative to the secretory endometrium in normal women was accompanied by significant increases (p less than .05) in total RNA, messenger RNA and in ribosomal RNA. The relative proportions of bound and free messenger RNA were also modified by endometrial maturation changing from 70% bound messenger RNA in the proliferative to 83% in the secretory phase. Cu-T200 Cu release appeared to particularly affect RNA metabolism in the secretory phase. During the proliferative phase only the concentration of transfer RNA and the proportion of bound to free messenger RNA were modified by the Cu-T200. The Cu-T200 induced significant decreases (p less than .01 and p less than .05) in all RNA parameters, with the exception of the RNA/deoxyribonucleic acid ratio.     

A spindle cell varient of thymic carcinoid tumor. A clinical, histologic, and fine structural study with emphasis on its distinction from spindle cell thymoma

We describe the clinical, histologic, and fine structural features of two thymic carcinoid tumors that had a major spindle cell component, and present the reason for classifying our two cases as variants of thymic carcinoid tumors. These tumors pursued an aggressive clinical course, demonstrated histologic features such as vascular invasion and mitotic activity, ultrastructurally contained numerous dense-core granules, and lacked prominent tonofilaments and well-formed desmosomes. Radiotherapy, even for apparently encapsulated cases, may be indicated for this aggressive mediastinal neoplasm, which can be clearly separated from the thymoma by clinical, histologic, and fine structural criteria.     

Effects of zinc and vitamin A deficient diets on the hepatic mobilization and urinary excretion of vitamin A in rats

Weanling rats were fed diets deficient in zinc (ZD), vitamin A (AD), or both (ZAD) for 3 weeks. Each then received 20 mug of 11,12-3H-retinyl acetate. Plasma retinol was monitored for radioactivity for 5 hours and urine for 6 days. Rats were killed and measurements made of plasma and liver vitamin A and plasma zinc. Plasma vitamin A was depressed but growth was not affected in AD rats compared to pair-fed controls. Radioactivity appeared most rapidly in the plasma retinol fractions of the two vitamin A-depleted groups (AD and ZAD) and was excreted most rapidly in the urine of these same groups. Zinc-deficient diets (ZD and ZAD) caused depressed plasma levels of zinc and vitamin A and growth retardation greater than in pair-fed controls. However zinc deficiency had no effect on mobilization of newly-ingested vitamin A or urinary excretion of labeled metabolites. Liver stores of vitamin A were lower for ZD rats than for controls. The data indicate that zinc deficiency is not a limiting factor in hepatic vitamin A release except as it influences growth and body demand for the vitamin. The data also suggest that newly-absorbed vitamin A is mobilized and utilized in preference to that previously stored in the liver.     

The Canadian influenza decision, 1976

This paper explains the Canadian decision process following the isolation and identification of A/New Jersey/8/76 at Fort Dix, New Jersey in February 1976. The cause for concern was the emergence of a swine-like strain related to that which caused the 1918-19 pandemic, together with proved man-to-man transmission. This concern was reinforced since all new influenza A strains known to have infected the number of persons involved at Fort Dix have become strains of epidemic importance. The Fort Dix outbreak gave sufficient warning to allow implementation of a national vaccination program, to prevent and protect against influenza. In the past such an opportunity had not occurred, and vaccine use had, at best, constituted an intervention in the course of an outbreak. The National Advisory Committee on Immunizing Agents had all available information when it reached its decision to recommend vaccination with bivalent (A/Victoria and A/New Jersey) or with monovalent (A/New Jersey) vaccine for selective, high-risk groups. This was an independent, scientifically based decision.     

Adolescent development and family characteristics associated with a diagnosis of schizophrenia

Studied persons who had initially been referred to a psychiatric hospital during adolescence (between 1938 and 1950) and who had at some time received a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Those who received an adolescent diagnosis of schizophrenia were divided into poor and favorable adult-outcome groups. Cases with subsequent adult onset of schizophrenia were classified according to prior clinical history. Three adult onset groups with neurotic, acting-out, and manic-depressive components were indicated. Comparisons among groups suggested the existence of a purely schizophrenic group (relative absence of nonschizophrenic psychopathology) including both patients and families in the poor-outcome adolescent-onset cases. The group with acting out in adolescence and a schizophrenic diagnosis as adults was most distinct. Family comparisons indicated a more mixed clinical picture for this group with a combination of psychosis, mental deficiency, acting out, alcoholism, broken homes, and parental neglect. This pattern was not typical for the other groups. Different developmental patterns and family characteristics indicated within-sample differences that suggest more homogeneous subgroups beyond common prognostic discriminations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)