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Changes in blood pressure and haemoglobin concentration before and after renal transplantation were compared in 15 patients with renal failure due to chronic pyelonephritis who had undergone pretrans-plant bilateral nephrectomy and 15 control patients whose primary renal disease was chronic pyelonephritis and who were matched for age, sex and graft function but had not undergone nephrectomy. Bilateral nephrectomy resulted in a significant worsening of anaemia prior to transplantation and a decline in blood pressure. However, by 6 and 12 months after renal transplantation both haemoglobin and blood pressure were similar in nephrectomized and non-nephrectomized patients and in the normal range. We conclude that in patients with renal failure due to chronic pyelonephritis, pretransplant nephrectomy has no major impact on long-term blood pressure and haemoglobin levels achieved after successful renal transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Self-induction of epileptic seizures is generally regarded as a rarity, chiefly observed in patients of subnormal intelligence. During EEG recordings with open eyes in a consecutive series of 48 photosensitive patients, however, 13 subjects induced paroxysmal activity of seizures by eyeclosure with forced upward deviation of the eyes. Eyeclosure on command produced a different type of oculographic artefact and induced paroxysmal activity in only one subject. Two patients were of subnormal intelligence but all displayed psychiatric or psychosocial problems. The incidence of induced paroxysmal activity was reduced by reduction of ambient lighting. Eight patients admitted self-induction of seizures. We conclude that this phenomenon occurs more often than was previously supposed and can be recongnized by the recording in photosensitive patients of prolonged EEGs with eyes open and in a brightly lit environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two prepubertal boys with bilateral cryptorchidism were identified as 46,XX after nuclear sexing studies in several tissues. Gonadal histology and chromosome studies suggested that true hermaphroditism or mosaicism were unlikely. Xg blood grouping was informative in one patient. Accepting paternity, this suggested either that both Xs were maternal, with loss, for example, of the male determining Y chromosome, or that the paternal X chromosome did not express, probably because of a deletion, the allele for the positive Xg blood group. The patients had normal thyroid stimulating hormone reserves but subnormal responses to human chorionic gonadotrophin stimulation, and may need hormonal replacement at puberty. Both had renal anomalies. We suggest that chromosome analysis is essential when cryptorchidism, hypospadias, or microgenitalia are found and that an intravenous pyelogram is desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was performed to determine the effect of bile acid perfusion on motility in the sigmoid colon of patients with the irritable colon syndrome compared with normal subjects. Deoxycholic acid (15 mM) statistically significantly increased motility in normal subjects (control 25.0 +/- 6.4%, perfusion 71.4 +/- 7.2%, P < 0.05) but neither chenodeoxycholic acid nor cholic acid had any apparent effect. In patients with the irritable colon syndrome, however, deoxycholic acid at 5 mM concentration (control 29.8 +/- 4.2%, during perfusion 57.4 +/- 6.5%, P < 0.05) as well as at 15 mM concentration (control 19.4 +/- 5.7+, perfusion 57.8 +/- 9.6%, P < 0.05) statistically significantly increased rectosigmoid motility. Patients with the irritable colon syndrome had a high resting 0.033-0.066 Hz (2-4 c/m) electrical activity, whereas in normal subjects 0.1-0.15 Hz (6-9 c/m) activity was greater. However, there was no statistically significant alteration in either electrical rhythm during the period of bile acid perfusion. In conclusion, additional evidence is presented to suggest that deoxycholic acid is the only bile acid likely to be implicated in the motor disorder of the irritable colon syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Recent studies have suggested that a high incidence of 0.05 Hz (3 c/m) slow wave electrical activity is present within the rectosigmoid of patients with the irritable colon syndrome during symptomatic phases. However, it is known that this is a chronic relapsing disorder and in this study we have compared myoelectrical recordings, using an on-line frequency analyser, during periods of severe symptoms and asymptomatic phases. Treatment with either bran (in the form of bran tablets) or an antispasmodic resulted in 12 of the 20 patients becoming free from symptoms after one to three months. In those patients who were initially constipated a statistically significant increase in mean stool weight and a decrease in mean transit time occurred, but this was not associated with any alteration in either percentage motility or electrical activity. In patients with predominant diarrhoea no statistically significant difference occurred in either transit time or stool weight after treatment nor did the abnormal myoelectrical activity return towards normal with symptomatic improvement. These results suggest that a fixed basic myoelectrical abnormality exists which is unrelated to symptoms. This may help to explain the chronic relapsing nature of the irritable colon syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although recent work has suggested that an abnormality of the 0.05 Hz (3 c/m) slow wave electrical activity exists in the distal colon of patients with the irritable colon syndrome, it is not established whether this is related to altered bowel habit alone, or whether it is specific to the irritable colon syndrome. We have therefore studied 10 patients referred with this disorder and compared their colonic myoelectrical pattern with 10 patients suffering from assorted disorders with similar symptoms--for example, chronic pancreatitis, diverticular disease, ulcerative colitis, etc. Transit time, stool weights, percentage motility, and slow wave electrical activity were measured in each patient. The two groups were well matched for age and patients with similar symptoms in the two groups had similar values for transit time and percentage motility. There was a statistically significant increase in the 3 c/m electrical activity in patients with the irritable colon syndrome unrelated to the degree of diarrhoea or constipation. It would appear, therefore, that the abnormally high incidence of 3 c/m electrical activity in the colon is specific to the irritable colon syndrome and not merely a feature of altered bowel habit. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The University of New Orleans has begun a program to teach microcomputer use to blind and visually impaired students with the goals of promoting greater independence and career development opportunities while making the campus more accessible to blind students. It chose a software solution rather than using dedicated equipment. (Author/VW)