Selective memory loss and global intellectual deficits in alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome.

The principle of distinguishing between selective memory deterioration and global intellectual decline has been applied to 38 patients with alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome. Indices were developed for each type of deficit and their distributions explored. Considerable variation was seen in both parameters, the transition from pure memory loss to global intellectual deficits appearing to be gradual.

Primary structure and transcriptional regulation of GAP-43, a protein associated with nerve growth.

Nerve regeneration and developmental outgrowth of axons are both correlated with increased synthesis of an axonal membrane protein designated GAP-43. Phosphorylation of an apparently identical protein, present at lower abundance in adult brains, has been correlated with long-term potentiation, a form of synaptic plasticity. We have now isolated a cDNA clone encoding GAP-43 from neonatal rat brain.

Memory and ventricular size in alcoholics.

The relationship between memory performance and CT scan measures of ventricular size was investigated in a sample of 39 chronic alcoholics and 39 controls. Measures of verbal, non-verbal, recognition and recall memory were derived from the tests administered and were viewed in relation to the lateral ventricle and third ventricular size measurements. The results showed that the memory performance of male alcoholics was significantly related to measures of third ventricular size, but probably not to measures of the lateral ventricles.

A myelodysplastic syndrome with marrow eosinophilia terminating in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, associated with an abnormal chromosome 16.

A patient presented with a myelodysplastic syndrome and bone marrow eosinophilia that evolved six months later into an acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). Cytogenetic analyses of the bone marrow revealed 86% of the metaphases with 45,X-Y,inv(16)(p13;q22),t(11;17) (q11;q25),del(21)(q13) and 14% of the metaphases with the same abnormalities but with a Y chromosome. The association of ANLL, bone marrow eosinophilia, and abnormal chromosome 16 has previously been reported and has been suggested to have a favorable prognosis.

Aspergillus myositis in a patient with a myelodysplastic syndrome.

We present the case of an elderly man who, while being treated with corticosteroids for a myelodysplastic syndrome, developed myositis of the calf due to Aspergillus fumigatus. Despite therapy with amphotericin B the myositis failed to resolve and he died. At autopsy, a localized necrotizing myositis of the right calf was found with no evidence of disseminated Aspergillus infection.

Histiocytosis X: report of an oral soft tissue lesion without bony involvement.

The case of a 65-year-old white man with painful oral soft tissue granulomatous lesions of histiocytosis X is reported. The clinical course and diagnostic and therapeutic measures are described. The manifestation of symptomatic oral soft lesions with no definable lesions of bone and the age of the patient are not consistent with the usual presentation of this disease, and thus emphasize its clinical variability.

Allergens in hymenoptera venom. XIX. Allergy to Vespa crabro, the European hornet.

The European hornet, Vespa crabro, is a very large insect native to much of Europe and Asia and introduced into eastern North America. Four cases of allergic reactions to V. crabro stings are presented, one of which was fatal.

Brain damage in alcoholism: current concepts.

Current views concerning the brain damage occasioned by alcohol abuse are reviewed. Diffuse cerebral changes appear to be common and partially reversible with prolonged abstinence. The possible determinants of such changes, and their relevance to functional deficits are discussed, with illustrations from work currently proceeding at the Institute of Psychiatry.

The kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for coronavirus antibodies in cats: calibration to the indirect immunofluorescence assay and computerized standardization of results through normalization to control values.

The computer-assisted, kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for coronavirus antibodies in cats was calibrated to the conventional indirect immunofluorescence assay by linear regression analysis and computerized interpolation (generation of "immunofluorescence assay-equivalent" titers). Procedures were developed for normalization and standardization of kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results through incorporation of five different control sera of predetermined ("expected") titer in daily runs. When used with such sera and with computer assistance, the kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay minimized both within-run and between-run variability while allowing also for efficient data reduction and statistical analysis and reporting of results.

Effect of pregnancy on the immune response of cattle to a Brucella vaccine.

An experiment was performed to determine whether humoral- or cell-mediated immune responses of cattle to a Brucella abortus vaccine were influenced by the stage of gestation. Heifers were vaccinated 2 mth before and 2 mth after breeding with cell envelopes of B. abortus in an oil adjuvant containing trehalose dimycolate and muramyl dipeptide.

Heterogeneity of B-cell growth factor receptor reactivity in healthy donors and in patients with chronic lymphatic leukemia: relationship to B-cell-derived lymphokines.

Twenty-five long-term B-cell lines were studied for B-BCGF activity. The cell lines were cultured in the presence or absence of the new tumor promoter teleocidin, and control and teleocidin-treated derived supernatants were cocultured with purified B cells obtained from healthy donors and patients with B chronic lymphatic leukemia (B-CLL), in the presence of anti-mu. In attempt to delineate the role of other B-cell lymphokines in promoting proliferation of activated B cells, the supernatants were also studied for interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 2 (IL-2), and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma).

A protein induced during nerve growth (GAP-43) is a major component of growth-cone membranes.

Growth cones are specialized structures that form the distal tips of growing axons. During both normal development of the nervous system and regeneration of injured nerves, growth cones are essential for elongation and guidance of growing axons. Developmental and regenerative axon growth is frequently accompanied by elevated synthesis of a protein designated GAP-43.

The contributions of sex and drinking history to the CT brain scan changes in alcoholics.

Consecutive series of male and female alcoholics, Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) members and controls were examined by interview and with a CT brain scan. Male controls were shown to have larger CT brain parameters than healthy females of the same age. Female alcoholics revealed equivalent CT scan abnormalities, apart from less sulcal widening, after a markedly shorter drinking history and at a lower estimated peak alcohol consumption than male alcoholics.

A neutrophil membrane marker reveals two groups of chronic myelogenous leukemia and its absence may be a marker of disease progression.

An IgG1 monoclonal antibody, 31D8, that recognizes normal neutrophil (PMN) membranes, was used to study PMN from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Nineteen patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive CML were followed over a ten-month period and compared with 23 normals, six patients with leukemoid reactions, and eight patients with phagocytic cell defects. The percentage of PMN binding of 31D8 among normal subjects was variable about a normal distribution with an average of 95 +/- 2% of cells binding 31D8.

Coronavirus antibody detection in cats by computer-assisted kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (KELA): field studies.

A total of 2238 feline serum samples submitted to the New York State Diagnostic Laboratory over a 1-year period were tested for the presence of coronavirus antibodies, using the computer-assisted, kinetics-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (KELA). Cats from which sera were obtained were categorized by sex, age, breed, and disease status, and variations in mean antibody titers for different sub-classifications within each category were analyzed by computerized statistical analysis. As expected, higher mean antibody titers were recorded for cats with feline infectious peritonitis, and for cats with a recent history of possible coronavirus exposure.

A protein associated with axon growth, GAP-43, is widely distributed and developmentally regulated in rat CNS.

Development or regeneration of axons in several systems is accompanied by 20-100-fold increases in the synthesis of an acidic, axonally transported membrane protein with an apparent molecular weight of 43-50,000 (Benowitz and Lewis, 1983; Skene and Willard, 1981a, b), which we designate GAP-43. We have proposed that some step(s) in axon growth require production of GAP-43, and perhaps a small number of other "growth-associated proteins," at rates much higher than those typical of mature neurons. This hypothesis predicts that virtually all neurons synthesize GAP-43 at elevated levels during normal CNS development.

Burkitt's cells can be triggered by teleocidin to secrete interferon-gamma.

The secretion of interferon (IFN)-gamma by T lymphocytes is mediated by the synthesis of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and the availability of IL-2 receptors. Since some Burkitt's lymphoma lines express Tac antigen and can be triggered to secrete IL-2 following activation with the new tumor promoter teleocidin, we addressed the question of whether the induction of IL-2 by B lymphocytes is accompanied by the induction of IFN-gamma. IFN-gamma has not been detected in any of the 25 cell lines studied, and following stimulation with teleocidin, we triggered the synthesis of IFN-gamma in JLP(C), a pre-Burkitt's cell line.

Disorders of facial recognition, social behaviour and affect after combined bilateral amygdalotomy and subcaudate tractotomy--a clinical and experimental study.

A case of a 37-year-old patient, 10 years after bilateral amygdalotomy and subcaudate tractotomy for chronic self-mutilation, is described. The clinical picture revealed a complex mental state, including disorders of facial recognition, social behaviour, affect and elements of the Kluver-Bucy syndrome. Mild selective deficits were demonstrated psychometrically in the recognition of familiar and unfamiliar faces.

A fully-automated computer-assisted method of CT brain scan analysis for the measurement of cerebrospinal fluid spaces and brain absorption density.

Computer-assisted methods of CT brain scan analysis offer considerable advantages over visual inspection, particularly in research; and several semi-automated methods are currently available. A new computer-assisted program is presented which provides fully automated processing of CT brain scans, depending on "anatomical knowledge" of where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-containing spaces are likely to lie. After identifying these regions of interest quantitative estimates are then provided of CSF content in each slice in cisterns, ventricles, Sylvian fissure and interhemispheric fissure.