Species-specific second antibodies reduce spurious staining in immunocytochemistry.

Spurious staining related to the second (linking) antibodies was observed in immunocytochemical specimens processed with an unlabeled antibody method. Some of this staining was suspected to result from species cross-reactivity of the second antibodies with endogenous immunoglobulin Gs in the tissue. Therefore, species-specific second antibodies were obtained, and the staining patterns of tissue processed with such antibodies were compared with those of tissue processed with standard (nonspecies-specific) second antibodies.

The molded polythene splint for mallet finger deformities.

Since 1970, 151 cases of mallet finger deformities with an average follow-up of 17 months have been treated with a molded polythene splint. Tendon injuries as well as fracture cases are included. This splint has been found to be highly effective, and open reduction of even major fracture fragments without subluxation of the distal phalanx has not been necessary.

Psychological and educational correlates of strabismus in school children.

The results of a study investigating the relationship of psychiatric and cognitive disorder with strabismus and its treatment in primary school aged children are reported. Results suggest that children with strabismus have a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorder, particularly an emotional disorder or psychosis. Subjects also had an increased risk of having educational problems and of exhibiting difficulties with tasks involving visual perception.

Odor threshold determination for 2-nitropropane.

The odor threshold of 2-nitropropane (2-NP) has been characterized as not capable of providing warning that air concentrations possibly exceed acceptable guidelines. However, recent testing indicates that the odor threshold is significantly lower than previously thought. In particular, the odor threshold has been indicated by this study to be below the current TLV for 2-NP.

Photon correlation spectroscopy as a probe of planar lipid bilayer phase transitions.

Photon correlation spectroscopy has been applied to study phase transitions of planar bilayer membranes. The membrane tension and one specific membrane viscosity are probed. Difficulties arising in the measurement of the temperature dependence of these properties are discussed and a servo-control system to overcome them is described.

Immunocytochemical identification of cholinergic neurons in the monkey central nervous system using monoclonal antibodies against choline acetyltransferase.

A monoclonal antibody directed against rat brain choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was used to stain cholinergic nerve cells within the brain and spinal cord of macaques. ChAT immunoreactivity was seen in motor neurons of the brainstem and spinal cord, in large neurons of the striatum, and in large neurons in the basal forebrain (medial septum--diagonal band--nucleus basalis complex); each of these groups of neurons is believed to be cholinergic. The ability to visualize cholinergic neurons in the nervous system of primates provides a new approach to the study of cholinergic systems in health and disease.

Rotatory subluxation of the scaphoid after excision of dorsal carpal ganglion and wrist manipulation--a case report.

Surgical excision of a ganglion on the dorsum of the wrist is usually a benign procedure. The most frequent complications are transient postoperative stiffness and recurrence of the ganglion. This paper reports the development of a rotatory subluxation of the scaphoid after the manipulation of the wrist of a patient who had developed postoperative stiffness after the surgical excision of a dorsal wrist ganglion.

Careers with heroin.

This report examines heroin use careers within a sample of 147 Black male heroin addicts and their nonaddicted friends. Based on the extent of their heroin use, subjects were classified into the following subgroups: "light" experimenters, "moderate" experimenters, "heavy" experimenters, and addicts. Our findings indicate that no single career line of pattern characterizes all heroin users.

Sudden cardiac death: results of resuscitation begun outside hospital.

A retrospective review was undertaken to determine the influence of the St John Ambulance life support units on the the incidence of sudden cardiac death during a 12 month period in Auckland. In 65 instances subjects who collapsed with either ventricular fibrillation or cardiac arrest were resuscitated and transported alive to a hospital accident and emergency department in the Auckland area. Twenty patients died within 24 hours of admission and a further 14 died in hospital.

Ventricular tachycardia in a neonate secondary to hyperkalaemia.

We report a preterm infant with ventricular arrhythmias secondary to hyperkalaemia in the first 48 hours of life. The arrhythmias were life threatening and required pharmacological and electrical cardioversion. Aspects of neonatal hyperkalaemia and related arrhythmias are discussed.

Organization and morphological characteristics of cholinergic neurons: an immunocytochemical study with a monoclonal antibody to choline acetyltransferase.

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the acetylcholine (ACh) synthesizing enzyme, has been localized immunocytochemically with a monoclonal antibody in light and electron microscopic preparations of rat central nervous system (CNS). The antibody was an IgG1 subclass immunoglobulin that removed ChAT activity from solution. The specificity of the antibody and immunocytochemical methods has been confirmed by the demonstration of ChAT-positive neurons in a number of well-characterized cholinergic systems.

Macrophage-mediated cytostatic activity blocks lymphoblast cell cycle progression independently in both G1 phase and S phase.

Recent work has shown that macrophage-mediated cytostatic activity inhibits cell cycle traverse in G1 and/or S phase of the cell cycle without affecting late S, G2, or M phases. The present report is directed at distinguishing between such cytostatic effects on G1 phase or S phase using the accumulation of DNA polymerase alpha as a marker of G1 to S phase transition. Quiescent lymphocytes stimulated with concanavalin A undergo a semisynchronous progression from G0 to G1 to S phase with a dramatic increase in DNA polymerase alpha activity between 20 and 30 hr after stimulation.

Inhibition of human blood clotting by extracts of Ascaris suum.

The effects of soluble extracts of Ascaris suum on human blood coagulation were investigated. Whole worm supernatant solution prolonged the whole blood clotting time and the kaolin-activated, partial thromboplastin time but it did not alter the prothrombin time. These data indicate impairment of the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation.

Interaction of monoclonal antibodies with mammalian choline acetyltransferase.

Monoclonal antibodies selective for rat brain choline acetyltransferase (acetyl-CoA: choline O-acetyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.

Putative 51,000-Mr protein marker for postsynaptic densities is virtually absent in cerebellum.

Cerebrum and cerebellum contain numerous asymmetric synapses characterized by the presence of a postsynaptic thickening prominently stained by phosphotungstic acid and other electron-dense stains suitable for electron microscopy. A 51,000-Mr protein, copurified in postsynaptic density-enriched fractions from cerebrum, is considered to be a well established marker for the postsynaptic density. On the basis of two criteria, our studies demonstrate that the 51,000-Mr protein marker for postsynaptic densities is virtually absent in cerebellum, First, it is present in negligible amounts in deoxycholate-insoluble fractions from cerebellum but abundant in parallel fractions from cerebrum.

Purification of choline acetyltransferase from Drosophila melanogaster.

Choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.

Monoclonal antibodies selective for Drosophila melanogaster choline acetyltransferase.

The newly developed monoclonal antibody technology was applied to the production of antibodies selective for Drosophila melanogaster choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.