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The four editions in this series of Recent Advances have spanned 17 years. These have been years in which Clinical Pathology, along with other specialties of medicine, has undergone a great deal of change. The basic medical sciences have produced an enormous body of information with varying degrees of relevance to the practice of clinical medicine. The clinical pathologist is faced with the task of selecting and correlating bits of this knowledge from dozens of scientific disciplines and converting them, through the medium of laboratory technology, into useful roles in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The transition from scientific discovery to practical utility has proved exceedingly tedious and time consuming for clinical laboratory workers. We see this reflected in the number of very old methods that continue to be used in day-to-day laboratory practice. Frustrations of the clinical pathologist are expressed many times throughout this volume in such statements

In what we fondly call the "modern era" of medicine, it is seldom that a broadly experienced clinical teacher has set himself the task of recording so many bits of traditional wisdom encompassed within what can be loosely described as the art of medicine. The intent is worthy of praise."This book," so the author tells us, "is written to help medical students in the clinical work with patients which is fundamental to learning how to practice medicine." As one works his way through page after page of aphorisms, platitudes, and often anachronistic doctrine, he must earnestly hope that the secondary schools and universities of this country do not deliver to our schools of medicine students so destitute of common grace, culture, civility, and native intelligence that they actually need such an advisory.The author's emphasis on prognosis as a point of departure for the teaching of professional behavior is

SUBSTANCES other than malonaldehyde give a characteristic pink coloration on heating with aqueous thiobarbituric acid (TBA). One such substance produced by photolysis of linolenic acid was tentatively assigned an unsaturated carbonyl component1.

After a single oral dose of 0.5 or 0.75 g of aureomycin given to fasting normal subjects antibiotic activity was recovered in the urine for more than 33 to 55 hours. The antibiotic was excreted in high concentrations between 2 and 16 hours and the largest rate of excretion occurred between 2 and 8 hours. The findings suggest that the optimum intervals between oral doses of aureomycin should be about 8 hours.

EXISTING biochemical and anatomical evidence has implicated two sets of interdigitating myofilaments with the active contractile component of vertebrate striated muscle. Comparable information about the series elastic element, the other physiologically demonstrable muscle component, is not yet known. Some mechanical properties of the series elastic and contractile components in rat limb muscle were therefore examined for similarities to determine whether a relationship exists between them.

This book calls attention to the general techniques of "Operations Research" as they may apply to the problems of decision-making in clinical medicine. It is important for modern physicians to be aware of these powerful tools that are available to aid in handling of medical information. It is important, also, to delineate the kind of objective decision models that may some day replace the subjective reasoning of physicians.While we are quick to share these expectations, we are disappointed to find that the authors show us little new hope for their realization. On the contrary, their arguments give fresh emphasis to the limitations and obstacles that so widely separate the practice of medicine from the field of mathematical analysis.Obviously, this book is not intended as a practical reference for medical students or practitioners of medicine. We should not, therefore, criticize its lack of relevance to common clinical topics. Many

In the flood of books and journals that pour in upon us every day, it is difficult to find a place for a volume that deals in extenso with an interdisciplinary field in which new and truly useful knowledge appears to be limited. In medical education, the question: "How much is enough?" is never answered, and one who suggests the need for an answer is likely to be called "anti-intellectual," to say the least. In reference to the complications of pregnancy, I am on especially dangerous grounds! When the American physician is not being scolded for the rising cost of medical care, the scarcity of adequate services, or the inefficiency of his "nonsystem," he is certainly being reminded of his relative failure as measured by maternal and infant death rates.Therefore, the topic is a compelling one. Its presentation in a separate volume may be justified as a belated symbol

The article presents a quote from co-founder of the U.S. organization the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Ida B. Wells regarding universal suffrage.

We demonstrate low-cost ozone and nitrogen dioxide measurement instruments suitable for use in an air quality monitoring network. The instruments are based on the gas response of semiconducting oxides at elevated temperature. Although there is a perception that the devices suffer from effects such as drifts of zero and calibration slope, and cross-sensitivities to other gases making them unsuitable for quantitative, long-term atmosphere measurement, we have shown that with careful attention to detail based on a thorough understanding of the mechanisms underpinning device operation, these perceived deficiencies can be overcome. The resultant instruments are small, robust, have sensitivity for O3 and NO2 less than 10 part-per-billion, and track reference analysers in the atmosphere to better than {plus minus}10% over periods of months, without recalibration.

Doxorubicin, a topoisomerase II inhibitor that is commonly used to treat childhood cancer, induces p53-mediated cardiomyocyte apoptosis which can ultimately lead to heart failure. We hypothesized that cardiac-restricted expression of a dominant interfering p53 mutant (CB7) would protect cardiomyocytes from doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in vivo. Age-matched CB7 transgenic mice and control non-transgenic (NTG) mice were treated with a total of 20mg/kg of doxorubicin (2 intraperitoneal injections of 10mg/kg at 3-day interval). The prevalence of cardiomyocyte apoptosis was assessed via anti-activated caspase-3 immune reactivity and also via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP, a substrate of caspase-3) and the level of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL were also monitored. Cardiac function was assessed using the two dimensional echocardiography. Our results show that the prevalence of cardiomyocyte apoptosis was reduced in CB7 mice as compared to NTG mice following doxorubicin injection (activated caspase 3 immune reactivity: 0.85± 0.14 positive cardiomyocytes/mm2vs. 1.98±0.24 positive cardiomyocytes/mm2, p<0.05, n=6; TUNEL staining: 0.045±0.006% of total cardiomyocyte nuclei vs. 0.146±0.009%, p<0.01, n=5). In agreement with this, caspase-dependent PARP cleavage was not detected in the doxorubicin-treated CB7 hearts but was detected in the doxorubicin-treated NTG. Bcl-xL expression was induced to a greater extent in CB7 mice as compared to NTG mice. Finally, fractional shortening was better preserved in the CB7 mice as compared to the NTG mice (7.79±1.35% reduction post-injection vs. 28.87±5.48%, p<0.05, n=6). Interestingly, the extent of functional preservation observed in DOX treated CB7 mice appeared to exceed that which would be expected based on the reduced levels of cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In conclusion, cardiac expression of CB7 protects against doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and preserves heart function. The anti-apoptotic effects of CB7 might result from the increased level of Bcl-xL. The disproportionate preservation of cardiac function suggests that antagonization of p53 may engender additional cardioprotective activity.

Background: During pregnancy, neurofibromas often enlarge or develop for the first time in females with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a prototypic lysophospholipid that has been implicated in tumor progression. LPA modulates cell migration and survival of Schwann cells (SCs), and interestingly, LPA is made in increasing concentrations throughout pregnancy. SCs are the tumorigenic cells in the development of neurofibromas in NF1. Given the temporal nature of LPA production and neurofibroma formation during pregnancy, we hypothesized that LPA may be a candidate molecule that promotes Schwann cell (SC) migration and survival and potentially plays a role in the increase in neurofibroma formation during pregnancy.Purpose: To define the potential role of LPA on the biochemical and cellular functions of Nf1-/- SCs.Methods: Murine SCs were isolated from WT and Nf1-/- dorsal root ganglia at embryonic day 13.5 and cultured in media containing glial growth factor. To measure SC motility, confluent SC monolayers were wounded and wound closure was monitored by time lapse microscopy following LPA stimulation. Flow cytometry (FACS) was used to quantitate the relative amount of filamentous actin per SC after LPA stimulation. LPA-dependent survival was measured by FACS using Annexin V/PI staining, and PI-3K activity was assessed by measuring Akt phosphorylation. Ras and small RhoGTPase effectors were evaluated by Western blot.Results: LPA preferentially promoted Ras-mediated Nf1-/- SC survival, migration, and F-actin reorganization and polymerization in Nf1-/- SCs as compared with WT SCs. LPA induced hyperactivation of Ras and its downstream effectors, Akt and Rac1. Addition of LY0294002, a potent PI-3K inhibitor, significantly reduced SC survival and migration in both WT and Nf1-/- cultures.Conclusions: We demonstrate that there is a gain in functions of LPA-mediated migration and survival of Nf1-/- SCs, which is dependent on the Ras/PI-3K signaling axis. As Ras is an intractable molecular target, inhibition of the PI-3K pathway may be a potential therapy for neurofibroma development and progression in NF1 patients. Furthermore, LPA is a candidate phospholipid that modulates excessive cell survival and invasiveness of Nf1-/- Schwann cells that potentially may contribute to neurofibroma development and progression in pregnant women with NF1.

Epigenetic regulation refers to changes in gene expression that occur without changes in the nucleotide sequence. Cytosine methylation and histone tail modifications are two epigenetic modifications that influence gene expression. Elucidating epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation is becoming increasingly important as deregulation of epigenetic processes is observed in many diseases, including cancer. The CXXC1 gene encodes CXXC finger protein 1 (CFP1), a transcriptional activator that specifically binds unmethylated CpG dinucleotides. The specific binding activity of CFP1 makes it unique in that most CpG binding proteins bind methylated CpG dinucleotides and facilitate heterochromatin formation. CFP1 has recently been identified as a member of the mammalian SET1 histone H3 lysine 4 methyltransferase complex. Disruption of CXXC1 in mice results in an early embryonic lethal phenotype, therefore CXXC1-/- embryonic stem (ES) cells were isolated from CXXC1-/- blastocysts to further characterize the function of CFP1. Embryonic stem cells lacking expression of CFP1 exhibit multiple epigenetic modification defects including altered histone modifications and reduced global cytosine methylation. DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) is the major source of DNA methyltransferase activity in mammalian cells and is responsible for copying methylation patterns during DNA replication. Dnmt1 protein level and methyltransferase activity are decreased by ~50% in CXXC1-/- ES cells and are rescued by stable expression of murine CFP1. Dnmt1 transcript level is not reduced in CXXC1 -/- ES cells, however. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed an interaction between CFP1 and Dnmt1 in vivo. Regulation of Dnmt1 protein level and activity by CFP1 is an exciting discovery in that it is the first example of reduced Dnmt1 protein without direct disruption of Dnmt1 gene function. The functional significance of this novel intersection of epigenetic regulatory proteins is the principle focus of ongoing experiments.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

In the BOHS Technical Guide No. 4 on Dustiness Estimation (i.e. the estimation of the dust-generation capacity of materials), the BOHS Working Party on Dustiness Estimation reviewed methods and compared four different techniques with the objective of working towards a standard method. In this paper, the Working Party reviews its original objectives and gives details of some of the latest developments in dustiness estimation technology. These details relate to the single drop methods in particular, and concern the variation in the dispersion of dust with: drop height, sample size, pour rate and the geometry of the sample injection hoppers or other devices. Work on the use of laminar air flows and further work to correlate different methods, sometimes within the same apparatus (e.g. optical and. gravimetric), is also reported. The final section of the paper outlines the aim of the Working Party to harmonize results obtained in the estimation of dustiness using various methods by relating them to a 10-point Dust Index Scale. This would be achieved by a specially designed interlaboratory trial involving a selected and pretested set of test materials covering a wide range of dustiness values. Ultimately, this should lead to the inclusion of Dust Indices in the specifications of materials, greater competition to produce less dusty forms of them and a reduced potential for dust exposure at work.

The relations among sociodemographic factors, health status, and use of prescribed sleeping pills and tranquilizers are examined. The data are from the Rand Health Insurance Experiment, which has a random sample of the nonaged, noninstitutionalized, civilian population in six U.S. sites. Information on sociodemographic factors, health status, and the use of prescribed psychotropic drugs during the previous 3 months was obtained from self-report questionnaires collected at enrollment. Mental and physical health status have large independent and significant effects on the probability of use of both prescribed tranquilizers (P < 0.0001) and sleeping pills (P < 0.0001), whether or not we remove the effects of sociodemographic factors. For the probability of tranquilizer use, there is no significant interaction between gender and mental health or between mental health and physical health. Age and gender have large and significant effects on the use of prescribed psychotropic drugs even after controlling for differences in health status and other demographic factors. The effects of site and socioeconomic status are modest compared with the effects of health, age, and gender.

Educators have expressed concern about the declining percentage of graduating residents who choose an academic career. This study identities characteristics of postgraduate physicians that are associated with intentions to pursue an academic career or a full-time private practice. Data were obtained from 299 residents in pediatrics and internal medicine at five academic medical centers in Southern California, using self-report questionnaires. Preference for an academic career was strongest among residents who were most satisfied with their work, were frequently sponsored by faculty, had published, or who either lived alone or were married to another professional. The likelihood of full-time private practice was strongest among residents who were less frequently sponsored by faculty, had not published, lived with others, were from certain medical schools, or were females. Training programs may wish to consider some of these factors in the selection of residents and in program development.

The authors determined the sensitivity of estimates of the use and cost of outpatient mental health care to two methods effects the definition of a mental health visit and strategies for allocating mental health care costs. They use data from the Rand Health Insurance Study, which has a random sample of the nonaged noninstitutionalized civilian population in six United States sites. Estimates of the use of mental health specialists are insensitive to alternative methods. However, estimates of the use and cost of the mental health care delivered by nonpsychiatrist physicians (e.g., internists) are quite sensitive to methods effects. Nevertheless, the cost of care from nonpsychiatrist physicians is so low that the total cost of outpatient mental health care is not meaningfully affected by methods effects.

This excellent manual was prepared for use by professional personnel who work in the emergency rooms of hospitals. It contains well organized summaries on practically every type of problem that is likely to be encountered in this important phase of practice.A book in this field is welcome at a time when the volume and complexity of emergency room work has forced it into a position of unexpected importance in the spectrum of health care services. Each of the 24 contributing authors is a specialist in the field to which he addresses himself; it is apparent that the entire group has given much thought to the coordination and compilation of their experiences into a comprehensive, concise, and eminently practical volume. The material is presented in a manner that will make it accessible and useful to students of medicine and to many groups of allied health service personnel.An introductory chapter

EXPERIMENTALLY leached soil columns can be prepared for examination under the microscope by first stabilizing them with a polyester resin. To do this with least disturbance to phenomena developed in the columns, they ought to be kept wet during the whole process.

The stated topic of this huge volume is important and timely, but professional readers are likely to be disappointed. An inordinate number of pages is devoted to repetition of well known statistics and lengthy exhortations which, although admirable in their intent, are scarcely to be regarded as new or useful information.Large portions of the book that appear under technical captions turn out to be superficial and iterative references, many of them from lay literature, held together only by the device of numbered paragraphs. Most unfortunate of all, the author used this vehicle to expound at unbearable length on his theories concerning the role of narcolepsy and hypoglycemia in the causation of accidents. Lest we dare overlook the cogency of his observations, Roberts sets about to repeat his conclusions in every conceivable context. This venting of a personal obsession by massive mobilization of words is curiously inappropriate in the

Editor Read and 12 collaborators have assembled a comprehensive review of biopsy procedures that are currently most valuable in the practice of medicine. Each section of the book is written by an expert in the relevant field. Attention is focused on indications, methods, precautions, and complications. The apparatus needed for each procedure is described and illustrated by clear line drawings. The subjects of exfoliative cytology and cytogenetics are covered in reference to techniques of specimen collection and preparation.Proper emphasis is given to collaboration between clinician and pathologist. The first chapter is devoted to general laboratory methods used in the handling of biopsy material; the second chapter is concerned with cytological methods. Subsequent chapters deal with biopsy procedures as they apply to 13 different organ systems. The discussion of each method is followed by an ample reference list.The book is short, concise, and clear. It will fulfill its purpose

Practicing physicians, medical students, technologists, and other members of the allied health service professions will welcome this important contribution to the literature of medical laboratory diagnosis. Through five previous editions of this book, Goodale has justified his original objective, to create a concise and practical reference work which assembles the truly useful elements from a broad and complex field of medical science.Widmann has revised extensively and updated the present volume, while retaining the basic plan and objectives which have distinguished earlier editions. In this era of sophisticated technology and molecular biology, it is a great consolation to find an occasional book, like this one, which addresses itself to the common and everyday problems of medical practice. It is reassuring to see a work wherein the practical aspects of a vast technical literature are made accessible to a broad readership, while it remains sufficiently current and authoritative to support the

THIN sections of clay soils containing finely divided calcite could not be made satisfactorily unless completely impregnated with resin. The resins most successfully used were ‘Marco Resin SB 28C’ (an unsaturated polyester resin supplied by Scott Bader and Co., Ltd., Wollaston, Wellingborough, Northants.) and ‘Araldite MY 750’ (an epoxy resin supplied by C.I.B.A. (ARL), Ltd., Duxford, Cambridge) (Table 1). They are both isotropic, have convenient refractive indices (‘Marco’, 1.55–1.56; ‘Araldite’, 1.54–1.55), low viscosities and, being thermo-setting, allow long soaking times to be used.

DURING the period March 24–28, 1959, collections of the interstitial fauna on several shores of the Isles of Scilly were made. On the very sheltered muddy sand shores of the islands of Tresco and St. Martin's, a small number of specimens of the cœlenterate, Halammohydra Remane, were recorded, in the surface 5 cm. of sand. The samples were treated with formalin immediately after sampling and this rendered exact identification impossible.