Frequency discrimination in noise: comparison of cat performances with auditory-nerve models.

Pure-tone frequency discrimination (delta F) performances were measured in cats and compared to neural models of these delta F performances based on auditory-nerve data in cats. Animal psychophysical techniques were used to train cats to discriminate frequency changes for pulsed pure tones in background noise at both 1.0 and 3.

[Entero-enteral invagination of the small intestine in adults. A rare cause of "uncertain abdomen"].

The present paper reports on a 43-year-old female patient who complained over a number of weeks of paroxysms of crampy pain in the mesogastrium. The diagnosis of ileoileal invagination was only made after she had been admitted to hospital for the third time. The following false diagnoses had been made during the 4-week course of the condition: "pyelonephritis", "acute appendicitis", "chronic appendicitis" and, most recently "psychosomatic abdominal distress".

Molecular characteristics of HGF-SF and its role in cell motility and invasion.

Scatter factor (SF), a secretory protein of fibroblasts, dissociates and increases the motility of epithelial cells and may be involved in cell migration processes during embryogenesis and tumor progression. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen for hepatocytes and other cells, and is thought to play a role in liver regeneration. We have presented structural and functional evidence that human SF and human HGF are identical proteins encoded by a single gene, since (i) no differences could be found by protein sequencing, by cDNA analysis, or by immunological comparison, and (ii) SF acts as a hepatocyte growth factor--i.

[Study of the pancreas and its inflammatory diseases from the 16th-19th century].

The author describes the development of medical research since the 16th century based on a literary review of the study of the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the pancreas. The anatomical basis was first created in the 17th century when the pancreatic duct was discovered (J.C.

[Repair procedures in surgery of inguinal hernia in their historical evolution].

The last decades have witnessed a great number of "novelties" published for inguinal hernia surgery. However, these are generally modifications of well-known operative procedures. The sole genuinely new method is laparoscopy for which, however, no long-term results are available.

Extracellular proteolytic cleavage by urokinase is required for activation of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor.

The extracellular protease urokinase is known to be crucially involved in morphogenesis, tissue repair and tumor invasion by mediating matrix degradation and cell migration. Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a secretory product of stromal fibroblasts, sharing structural motifs with enzymes of the blood clotting cascade, including a zymogen cleavage site. HGF/SF promotes motility, invasion and growth of epithelial and endothelial cells.

A functional domain in the heavy chain of scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor binds the c-Met receptor and induces cell dissociation but not mitogenesis.

We recently found that scatter factor (SF), a cell motility factor with a multimodular structure, is identical to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a potent mitogen of various cell types. SF/HGF is the ligand of the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase. Here we used transient expression of naturally occurring and in vitro mutagenized cDNAs of SF/HGF to delineate the protein domains necessary for biological activity and binding to the c-Met receptor.

Dynamic range of neural rate responses in the ventral cochlear nucleus of awake cats.

1. Response thresholds and dynamic range properties of neurons in the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) of awake cats were measured by fitting a computational model to rate-level functions for best frequency (BF) tone bursts and for bursts of broad-band noise. Dynamic range measurements were performed in quiet and in the presence of continuous background noise.

Lymphocutaneous Nocardia brasiliensis infection acquired from a cat scratch: case report and review.

Nocardia brasiliensis is a bacterium that is most commonly found in the soil. Traumatic inoculation of N. brasiliensis into the skin is the most typical mode of acquisition of infection due to this organism.

Analysis of L-alanine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase isozymes in maize.

Isozyme analysis of L-alanine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (ALT) in maize indicates that there are three genes encoding this enzyme activity. Two of the gene products interact with each other to form heterodimers, while the third gene product does not interact with the other two. Another isozyme that appears after gel electrophoresis and ALT staining is shown to be glutamate dehydrogenase-1.

Effects of OFF-BF tones on responses of chopper units in ventral cochlear nucleus. I. Regularity and temporal adaptation patterns.

1. We have recorded the responses of neurons in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) of barbiturate-anesthetized cats to pure tones [either at the unit's best frequency (BF) or at another frequency (OFF-BF)] and to two-tone combination stimuli. 2.

Coding of envelope modulation in the auditory nerve and anteroventral cochlear nucleus.

We have investigated responses of the auditory nerve fibres (ANFS) and anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) units to narrowband 'single-formant' stimuli (SFSS). We found that low and medium spontaneous rate (SR) ANFS maintain greater amplitude modulation (AM) in their responses at high sound levels than do high SR units when sound level is considered in dB SPL. However, this partitioning of high and low SR units disappears if sound level is considered in dB relative to unit threshold.

Protein Synthesis in Maize during Anaerobic and Heat Stress.

Protein accumulation and protein synthesis were investigated during anaerobic stress and heat shock in maize seedlings (Zea mays L.). Antibodies against alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPC) were used to investigate the expression of the genes encoding these proteins during stress treatment.

Detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 provirus in mononuclear cells by in situ polymerase chain reaction.

Background: Studies of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection have attempted to quantitate the viral load correlate it with the degree of immune deficiency. In one study, only about 1 in 10,000 peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) expressed HIV-1, but in other studies, at least 1 in 100 CD4-positive cells was infected and harbored the HIV-1 provirus.

Methods: We developed a new, highly sensitive in situ polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) method that amplifies selected genetic regions within intact single cells.

Antiretroviral chemotherapy of human immunodeficiency virus infections other than with azidothymidine.

The intense research effort to develop molecules with the ability to inhibit the replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 was greatly facilitated by the elucidation of the viral life cycle. This information engendered the production of novel antiretroviral agents that inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 at different points in its replicative cycle. The nucleoside analogue 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (azidothymidine) inhibits reverse transcriptase, and it was the first compound tested in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

[Metabolic changes in a patient in the early phase of acute pancreatitis].

The present paper reports on the perioperative metabolic changes in a 70-year-old female patient in whom an acute (oedematous) pancreatitis occurred during the transduodenal excision of a villous adenoma of the duodenal papilla. Since blood was taken for metabolic investigations before, during and after surgery, data on the changes in the intermediary metabolism during the early phase of acute pancreatitis in humans was recorded. Raised activity of the pancreatic enzymes amylase and lipase was demonstrable just minutes after extirpation of the papillary tumour after intraoperative cholangiography had been performed via a choledochotomy.

Single-unit recording in the ventral cochlear nucleus of behaving cats.

A method is described for single-unit recording in the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) of behaving cats. Five cats were implanted with titanium head-restraint devices and acetal plastic recording chambers. The recording chamber directed microelectrodes through the cerebellum and into the VCN.

Childhood sinusitis.

Childhood sinusitis is difficult to diagnose. It is classified on the basis of duration of inflammation--acute or chronic--and cause of inflammation--infectious or noninfectious. Infectious sinusitis is often a result of obstruction of the osteomeatal complex.

[Metabolic changes in patients with hereditary fructose intolerance. A contribution to the topic of fructose administration for parenteral feeding].

The literature contains a number of reports of death following the intravenous administration of fructose in patients with hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI). The aim of the present study was, therefore, to investigate the metabolic changes occurring during intravenous administration of fructose to patients with HFI, with the aim of identifying metabolic parameters that would permit the early diagnosis of HFI. Also, the deaths reported in the literature were analyzed.

Developmental expression of genes involved in conidiation and amino acid biosynthesis in Neurospora crassa.

The levels of transcripts for Neurospora crassa genes concerned with cellular and metabolic functions changed dramatically at different stages of asexual development. Transcripts for some conidiation-related (con) genes were present at high levels in conidiating cultures and in dormant conidia, but were absent or reduced during mycelial growth. Levels of some con transcripts increased transiently during conidial germination, while others disappeared.

The maize cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene family: organ-specific expression and genetic analysis.

The distribution of the cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene family (Gpc) in the maize genome was investigated; a genetic variant of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity is also described. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of an F2 population shows that the variant is not linked to the three known Gpc genes. However, this trait is linked to one of two genomic DNA fragments that hybridize to a fragment of the Gpc3 coding region, implying the existence of a fourth Gpc gene.

Steroid profiles of brown adipose tissue.

In brown adipose tissue of alp-marmot (Marmota marmota), badger (Meles meles) and Wistar rats steroids of C21- and C19-type are identified and quantified. The detection of 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one, 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 beta-pregnan-20-one, 3 alpha,21-dihydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one, 3 alpha,21-dihydroxy-5 beta-pregnan-20-one and 3 beta,21-dihydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one is of special interest since sleep-inducing properties have been described with these steroids.