Chromosomal radiosensitivity at intrachromosomal telomeric sites.

Telomeric DNA is composed of highly conserved sequences which are present at the termini of chromosomes as well as at intrachromosomal locations. Here, we studied a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line, BL-10, with highly stable amplified telomeric DNA at the termini as well as at intrachromosomal locations. We show that intrachromosomal or interstitial telomeric sites in this cell line and in another CHO cell line, HA-I, are radiosensitive in that they are more prone to breakage than would be expected based on the percentage of the genome composed of telomeric sequences.

Henoch-Schonlein purpura associated with eclampsia. A case report.

A case of peripartum seizure activity presumed to represent eclampsia is presented. The postpartum diagnosis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura places the original diagnosis in question due to similarities in the manifestations of the two syndromes.

An optical system for measuring surface shapes for radiotherapy planning.

A system which uses two remote cameras to obtain surface contours for radiotherapy patients is described. Two variants are presented: one which requires couch movement to obtain multiple outlines, and one utilizing a special illumination method to achieve multiple outlines from one image per camera. In addition, a technique is discussed in which the grey-scale information from the skin surface (e.

A prospective study of transmission by transfusion of HTLV-I and risk factors associated with seroconversion.

To evaluate the risk of transfusion-related transmission of HTLV-I in Jamaica, a prospective study was initiated, prior to availability of a licensed HTLV-I serological screening assay. This information would prove useful in formulating strategies for blood-donor screening. We followed 118 pre-transfusion HTLV-I-negative transfusion recipients at monthly intervals post-transfusion for 1 year.

Gastrointestinal parasitic infection in healthy Jamaican carriers of HTLV-I.

A subsample (1.6%; n = 13,260) of a healthy Jamaican population of food-handlers, studied by Murphy et al. (1991), who were serologically positive (n = 99) or negative (n = 113) for HTLV-I was investigated for intestinal parasitic infection using coprological methods.

Detection of early human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I antibody patterns during seroconversion among transfusion recipients.

From a cohort of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) exposed transfusion recipients (N = 71) enrolled in the Jamaican Transfusion Study, 11 were selected for detailed laboratory evaluation. All recipients were followed at monthly intervals for 6 months and then bimonthly up to 1 year for evidence of HTLV-I seroconversion. Without regard to results on screening assays, pretransfusion and posttransfusion samples were tested with two licensed HTLV-1 whole-virus screening enzyme immunoassays (EIAs), recombinant EIAs for antibody against tax (p40x) and p21e envelope, standard whole virus Western blot (WB), WB enhanced with recombinant p21e, and radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA).

Amoebiasis in Jamaica. A forgotten cause of hepato-intestinal disease.

Amoebiasis still occurs in Jamaica. This paper describes the unexpected occurrence of the disease in three adult males, two with colitis and the other with an hepatic abscess. This, to our knowledge, is the first report of amoebiasis in Jamaica for over two decades and serves to underscore the continued need for the inclusion of amoebiasis in the differential diagnosis of unexplained hepato-intestinal disease.

Training versus nontraining of mothers as home reading tutors.

The effectiveness of training mothers as home reading tutors was assessed using a sample of 42 mother-child pairs. The children were aged 8 to 9 yr. Analyses showed that the amount of time parents spent listening to a child read at home was positively related to both reading accuracy and comprehension scores.

A simple model of 60Co beams for computerized radiotherapy planning.

A mathematical model of the dose in tissue from a beam of 60Co gamma rays is presented which is based on a novel fitting formula for the lateral profiles, and the properties of decrement lines. Four parameters completely specify an open field, and six parameters a wedged field to a good precision, as measured by the isodose RMS error of fit. A consequence of the method is that only one lateral profile at a depth of 10 cm needs to be measured, for open and wedged fields, in order to describe the whole field.

Pulmonary perfusion defects in postoperative chest infections.

The repeated demonstration by many workers that there is a high incidence of asymptomatic postoperative lower limb venous thrombosis suggests that pulmonary embolism is likely to be a more frequent occurrence than is commonly accepted. If this assumption is correct then many emboli must be asymptomatic or producing atypical symptoms. The incidence of pulmonary artery perfusion defects in 50 general surgical patients who developed postoperative chest complications has been investigated by radioisotope scanning of the lungs.