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The Paint Rock River (PRR) drainage in northern Alabama and southern Tennessee historically supported 58 freshwater mussel species. This study semi-quantitatively examined the mussel assemblage at 42 sites in the Paint Rock mainstem and 5 sites in Estill Fork, a headwater tributary. A total of 1825 live mussels were collected over 78.9 person-hours, with an overall catch per unit effort (CPUE) of 23.1 mussels/person-hour. Forty-one species were collected live and/or fresh dead, including federally protected Epioblasma triquetra (Snuffbox), Fusconaia cor (Shiny Pigtoe), Lampsilis abrupta (Pink Mucket), Lampsilis virescens (Alabama Lampmussel), Pleuronaia dolabelloides (Tennessee Pigtoe), Quadrula cylindrica cylindrica (Rabbitsfoot), and Toxolasma cylindrellus (Pale Lilliput). The river system continues to support a high diversity of mussels (48 species collected in the past 25 years). The survey also identified several sites in the basin suitable for the reintroduction of extirpated species.

This is the first American Fisheries Society conservation assessment of freshwater gastropods (snails) from Canada and the United States by the Gastropod Subcommittee (Endangered Species Committee). This review covers 703 species representing 16 families and 93 genera, of which 67 species are considered extinct, or possibly extinct, 278 are endangered, 102 are threatened, 73 are vulnerable, 157 are currently stable, and 26 species have uncertain taxonomic status. Of the entire fauna, 74% of gastropods are imperiled (vulnerable, threatened, endangered) or extinct, which exceeds imperilment levels in fishes (39%) and crayfishes (48%) but is similar to that of mussels (72%). Comparison of modern to background extinction rates reveals that gastropods have the highest modern extinction rate yet observed, 9,539 times greater than background rates. Gastropods are highly susceptible to habitat loss and degradation, particularly narrow endemics restricted to a single spring or short stream reaches. Compil...

Big and Cowarts creeks lie in extreme southeastern Alabama and form the headwaters of Chipola River. Qualitative and quantitative sampling for freshwater mussels in these reaches during 2006 and 2007 revealed an intact fauna, relative to historical reports. A cumulative total of 17 species, including federally protected Elliptio chipolaensis (Chipola Slabshell), Lampsilis subangulata (Shinyrayed Pock- etbook), Medionidus penicillatus (Gulf Moccasinshell), and Pleurobema pyriforme (Oval Pigtoe), was encountered. A total of 3382 mussels (density 5.84 per m 2 ) was estimated for one 65-m reach of Big Creek and 9627 mussels (density 8.09 per m 2 ) were estimated to occur in one 170-m reach of Cowarts Creek. Tributaries had dep- auperate faunas, apparently due to substrate instability.

Tulotoma magnifica is a federally threatened freshwater gastropod endemic to the Mobile Basin in Alabama. It was considered extirpated from the Alabama River until its rediscovery there in 2006. Tulotoma occurs primarily in colonies in large interstitial spaces beneath boulders and in bedrock crevices. We used side-scan sonar to identify boulder habitat in the Alabama River and to focus dive surveys at those sites. Eighty-five sites with potential Tulotoma habitat were identified with sonar and assessed by a diver. Colonies were found at five locations, three of which were previously unknown. Side-scan sonar greatly increased efficiency during this survey and was a useful tool.

Fifty cases of oral minor salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) are analyzed and reported. Oral ACC frequently masquerades as a benign neoplasm, and in the majority of cases there is no pain or ulceration. The most common location is in the palate; a plea is made for incisional biopsy of all oral lesions suspected of salivary gland origin. Survival rates show a progressive decrease with time, and there were no survivors beyond 20 years. In this study, there was a positive correlation between duration of the lesion before diagnosis and the salvage rate, but no correlation was found with the size of the presenting lesion.

A patient with Tangier disease, pulpal calcifications, and bilateral mandibular intrabony lesions (unusual odontomas) is presented. A relationship between Tangier disease and the oral manifestations found in this patient has not been established. Of the 27 known patients with Tangier disease, only 2 have been examined.

Labial salivary glands, like the major salivary glands, are infiltrated with lymphoid cells in Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Studies utilizing biopsy specimens from the lower lips of seventy-six patients, forty-one of whom had Sjogren's syndrome, demonstrated that local synthesis of large amounts of immunoglobulins (IgM and IgG) and rheumatoid factor in salivary glandular tissue is distinctive for Sjogren's syndrome. The presence of rheumatoid factor was demonstrated autoradiographically by interaction between anti-lgG:lgG complexes and labeled immunoglobulins. Rheumatoid factor in the lip was found in eighteen of forty-one (43 per cent) patients with Sjogren's syndrome and in only two of thirty-five (6 per cent) control patients. On repeat biopsy of the lip untreated patients showed progression of lymphoid infiltration and increased immunoglobulin synthesis, whereas two patients treated with cyclophosphamide showed improvement histologically and all treated patients had diminished immunoglobulin synthesis. Sicca symptoms diminished in five of ten patients who were treated with cyclophosphamide for serious complications or other associated diseases, but immunosuppressive therapy cannot yet be recommended for uncomplicated Sjogren's syndrome.

In view of the data obtained in three cases, biopsy of minor salivary glands in the labial mucosa of the lower lip is proposed as an alternative means of establishing the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

A new technique to detect anti-salivary duct antibody (ASDA) has been developed by using autoradiographic, rather than immunofluorescent methods. The antibody activity detected by autoradiography is probably classic ASDA. Both techniques may be consecutively performed on the same tissue section without attenuation of either. Some of the potential advantages of the radiolabelling of ASDA are pointed out, and a few preliminary experiments using the labelled antibody as a marker are presented.

Lysozyme and total protein concentrations in parotid saliva were measured in 17 patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome, in six patients with Sjogren's syndrome secondary to hyperlipoproteinemia and in 14 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Increased lysozyme concentrations were found only in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome and correlated well with the presence of parotid gland enlargement. The total protein concentration in the saliva of patients with Sjogren's syndrome was not different from that of the control subjects. Parotid saliva lysozyme determination may be useful as an early adjunctive diagnostic test of primary Sjogren's syndrome.

A histologic comparison of the effects of an ultrasonic instrument, a low-speed rotary cutting bur, and a surgical chisel, all used with water coolant, on the rate of healing of dog alveolar bone was made. After reflection of a mucoperiosteal flap, each instrument was used to produce a 3 by 3 by 2 mm. defect in buccal alveolar bone, 3 mm. apical to the alveolar crest and directly overlying the root structure of the right premolar teeth. Dogs were killed immediately following flap replacement with sutures and 3, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 90 days later. Histologic examination of the surgical areas revealed that the bur produced the smoothest surface. At day 3, specimens prepared with the chisel and the ultrasonic instrument exhibited areas of cellular organization along surfaces with the defect and the formation of osteoid in adjacent marrow spaces. At day 7, osteoblastic activity was most pronounced in specimens prepared with the chisel and least in those prepared with the bur. The subsequent rate of healing in later periods appeared histologically to be the best with the use of the chisel, followed closely by the use of the ultrasonic instrument, and the slowest with the bur, the order of which is consistent with the over-all microscopic evaluation of the effect of the three instruments.

Quantitative polyacrylamide disk gel electrophoresis of sera from 27 patients with Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) and 12 comparable normal subjects revealed that serum amylase activity in patients with SS varies due to changes in the salivary isoenzyme, while pancreatic isoamylase remains normal. The SS group can be divided into those patients with markedly increased salivary isoamylase and those with normal or low salivary isoamylase. At this time we cannot be certain whether this reflects different stages in a progressive disorder, or differences in the underlying pathologic processes. Analysis of amylase isoenzymes in serum previously has been shown to be of value in pancreatic disorders, and we have now demonstrated that changes in the salivary glands may also be reflected in serum amylase isoenzymes. Study of patients with other salivary and pancreatic disorders will be needed to define the clinical utility of amylase isoenzyme analysis.

This article presents a histologic evaluation of ninety-six minor labial salivary gland biopsies performed at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health from patients with a suspected diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome. A proposed system of grading, utilizing a 1+ to 4+ scale, is offered on the basis of histologic criteria.

Sequential salivary scintigraphy, or the visual recording with a gamma scintillation camera of the uptake, concentration, and excretion of 99m Tc pertechnetate by the major salivary glands after the administration of sodium pertechnetate Tc 99m, was performed on 20 female patients with Sjogren's syndrome. The results were compared with those of other procedures currently used to evaluate xerostomia. The scintigraphic findings closely paralleled the results of the salivary flow-rate determinations and contrast sialography and the patients' clinical symptoms, but did not correlate with the finding of lymphocytic infiltration in lip biopsy specimens or the detection of the anti-salivaryduct antibody. The scintigraphic examination proved to be extremely sensitive in depicting small asymmetric differences in parotid gland activity and in monitoring the improvement in salivary gland function with immunosuppressive therapy. Sequential salivary scintigraphy appears to be an easy, safe, and objective means of evaluating xerostomia in patients with Sjogen's syndrome.