Failure to confirm a vascular cause of muscular dystrophy.

The vascular hypothesis of the cause of muscular dystrophy suggests that ischemia is responsible for the muscle fiber necrosis. A xenon 133 clearance study of muscle blood flow in Duchenne and other muscular dystrophies showed no obvious difference between the response to exercise and arterial occlusion compared with control subjects. Radioautographic study of distribution of 4-125l-antipyrine in skeletal muscle of mice with muscular dystrophy showed no abnormal areas of ischemia.

Manipulation in treatment of low back pain: a multicentre study.

In a multicentre trial 456 selected patients with low back pain were randomly allocated to one of four treatments-manipulation, definitive physiotherapy, corset, or analgesic tablets. Patients were reassessed clinically after three weeks' treatment and again after a further three weeks. Questionnaires were used to find out the patients' condition three months and one year after admission to the trial.

Study on the effects of tablet colour in the treatment of anxiety states.

Forty-eight patients with anxiety states were treated with oxazepam (Serenid-D), which was administered in tablets of three different colours-red, yellow, and green. Every patient received one week's treatment with each colour, according to a random programme. A latin square design was used to ensure complete balance between the colours and between the weeks.

Assay of gastrin by means of its gastric acid stimulating activity.

1. A method is described for the bio-assay of gastrin activity in the anaesthetized cat, based on the acid stimulating activity of gastrin.2.

Double-blind controlled trial of a micronized preparation of flumedroxone (Demigran) in prophylaxis of migraine.

A double-blind cross-over trial of a micronized preparation of flumedroxone, an oral progestogen derivative, and a placebo was undertaken to determine whether this drug had prophylactic value in migraine. No benefit was found in males, or in females with no history of menstrual exacerbation of migraine. In women whose migraine was worse around the time of menstruation flumedroxone resulted in statistically fewer headaches of less severity.

Effect of onions on blood fibrinolytic activity.

Twenty-two convalescent patients at rest were given a fat-enriched breakfast with and without the addition of 60 g. of fried or boiled onions. Both forms of onions were found to prevent the expected decrease in fibrinolytic activity, and indeed the latter was actually increased.