Action potential fatigue in nonmyelinated nerve fibers: garfish olfactory and rabbit vagus nerve

With the new method the fecal flora of 13 clinically healthy dogs aged 3 to 42 months was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. It was characterized by that bacteroidaceae constituted the most prodominant flora, catenabacteria, streptococci, peptostreptococci, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria were the next most numerous, enterobacteria consisted the accompanying flora. The numbers of Clostridium perfringens were remarkably fluctuated and seem to be influenced by the composition of the food ingested by the host. The total cultivable counts averaged log 10.8 +/- 0.2/g. The composition of the Lactobacillus flora and Bifidobacterium flora in the feces of 34 dogs from 3 different age groups was analysed. In the feces of all age groups L. acidophilus, L. salivarius and L. fermenti with 9 different types were found. Within the lactobacilli L. acidophilus type VI c, L. salivarius type VI a and L. fermenti type IV b were most frequently found. L. acidophilus types VI c and XI, L. salivarius types VI a and VI b could not be placed in any established types of each species, and were described as new types. Bifidobacteria were regularly found in large numbers in the feces of dogs aged 2 to 24 months. B. adolescentis and B. pseudolongum consisted the main Bifidobacterium flora.     

Myxosoma cerebralis: in vitro sporulation of the myxosporidan of salmonid whirling disease

The clinical, electrocardiographic, and radiologic features in a patient with a pericardial band which produced an unusual form of infundibular pulmonary stenosis are presented. The findings are unique in that the band was not calcified and, therefore, not visualized roentgenographically and developed without a previous history of pericarditis or pericardial surgery. The diagnostic value of cineangiography is stressed and illustrated.     

Correlation of the production of gonadotropic and sex hormones in boys and girls during sex maturation

There is an early period of puberty in boys at the age of 10 to 13, accompanied by an increase in the level of follicle stimulating hormone and a low secretion of luteinizing hormone and testosterone, with no secondary sexual signs. The beginning of an increase in the luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentration in boys coincides with the development of secondary sexual signs. The stabilization of the level of luteinizing hormone takes place in boys already at the 2nd degree of the sexual development. The secretion of luteinizing hormone at this point corresponds already to the normal level in adult men. The level of testosterone in the blood continues to increase and does not reach its definitive level until after the age of 17, or at the 5th degree of sexual development. Like in boys, the increase of the follicle stimulating hormone in girls precedes the increase of the luteinizing hormone secretion. The beginning of the increase in the follicle stimulating hormone coincides with an increase in the level of estrogens and testosterone in the blood, and with the appearance of secondary signs of sexual maturation. The increase of the luteinizing hormone secretion takes place later in girls than in boys and is accompanied by a new and significant increase in the level of estrogens in the blood. At the 2nd degree of sexual development, the level of testosterone in the blood of girls is substantially higher than at the other stages.     

An animal behavior model for studying the actions of LSD and related hallucinogens

Cats injected with LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide) exhibit a group of behaviors that appear to be specific to hallucinogenic drugs. Two of these behaviors, limb flick and abortive grooming, have an extremely low frequency of occurrence in normal cats, but often dominate the behavior of LSD-treated cats. The frequency of occurrence of this group of behaviors is related to the dose of LSD. The behavioral changes are long-lasting following a single injection of LSD, and exhibit tolerance following the repeated administration of LSD. They are not elicited by a variety of control drugs, but are elicited by other indole nucleus hallucinogens. Because the behavioral effects are specific, reliable, easy to score, and quantifiable, they represent an animal model that can be used in studies of the effects of LSD and related hallucinogens.     

The effect of respiratory immunization on cell-mediated immune effector cells of the lung

In order to understand the mechanisms of cellular immune injury in hypersensitivity pneumonitis, the effect of type of antigen on cell-mediated immunity in guinea-pigs receiving respiratory immunization was studied. Lymphocytes obtained by pulmonary lavage were compared with those from peritoneal exudate following immunization with either a soluble protein, human serum albumin, or a particulate suspension of Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. Assays were obtained without mixing cells from these two sources. Statistically significant increases (13-22%) in the number of alveolar rosette-forming cells (RFC) were found in the animals immunized with either antigen, but only the particulate T. vulgaris was also capable of inducing a systemic increase of such cells. That this increase in RFC could be due to specifically reactive lymphocytes was demonstrated by the production of antigen-stimulated macrophage migration inhibition. Some evidence was obtained that indicated that T. vulgaris could act both as a non-specific B-cell stimulant and a specific T-cell activator. The concept of a hypothetical pulmonary 'barrier' is discussed which must be overcome to induce systemic immune responses following respiratory immunization. T. vulgaris must be added to the list of known agents or means for overcoming this 'barrier'.     

The value of prophylactic antibiotics after vaginal hysterectomy

Prophylactic antibiotics were given postoperatively to a consecutive series of 74 patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy. Antibiotics were administered in the immediate postoperative period. There was a highly significant decrease in febrile morbidity in the treated group compared to 190 control subjects having similar surgery but treated with antibiotics only on the appearance of fever and/or other signs of infection. There was a failure to relate the increased febrile morbidity in the control group to patient's age, menopausal state, type of catheterization, or to the type of operative procedure. The increased morbidity in the control group related only to the failure to use prophylactic antibiotics. The antibiotic-treated portion (58 per cent) of the control group had a longer period of hospitalization.     

Structure and function of the rabbit bladder altered by chronic obstruction or cystitis

In a prospective 5-year-study the development of adiposity was tested in a population group consisting of about 30,000 persons. It was shown that during the time of investigation the population decreased in its total number, the consumption of easily digestible carbohydrates and meat, however, increased. As it was established in 1968, the proportion of the adipose persons (more than 20% of the Broca-weight) and the percental average deviation from the Broca-weight (calculated in decennium classes) was more than in the comparable population groups in the GDR. Contrary to expectation the examination further showed that on an average men exhibited a trend to the increase in weight, but on the average women decreased in weight. In all age groups (with the exception of the 60- to 69-year-old persons) the proportion of obese persons was significantly lower in 1973 than in 1968. Unchangedly adipose are the diabetics who also have a by far higher average weight than the healthy population and who up to now do not reveal an inclination to the decrease in weight. With 2.9% the average frequency of diabetes is also adequately high.     

Retroperitoneal germinoma marked by elevated serum lactic dehydrogenase

A case of primary retroperitoneal germinoma is presented in which markedly elevated serum lactic dehydrogenase levels were present before diagnosis, but declined to normal with abdominal irradiation. It is the first report of lactic dehydrogenase serving as a tumor marker in germinoma.