Natural history of flexion deformity of the hip in myelodysplasia.

For definition of the incidence and natural history of hip flexion contracture, 5,147 serial measurements of the range of hip extension in 966 patients with spina bifida were analyzed. Contractures were generally present in the first few months of life (physiologic flexion posture); this then diminished during the first 27 months in all but those with thoracic lesions. Hence, surgical management is seldom appropriate until after that age.

Human thymocytes bind to autologous and allogeneic thymic epithelial cells in vitro.

The thymus plays a critical role in the generation of immunocompetent T lymphocytes. In the thymus, lymphocytes are in close contact with epithelial cells, and this contact is necessary for T-cell maturation. Using cultured human thymic epithelial (TE) cells, we have found that human thymocytes bind to human TE cells in vitro.

Autistic children grow up: an eight to twenty-four year follow-up study.

Eighty questionnaires were sent to parents and/or caregivers of autistic persons diagnosed between 1960-73 at CPRI, a regional assessment and treatment centre. The objective was to determine their present place of residence, functioning ability, language development, program involvement, and seizure activity. The results of this study support evidence that more than 50 percent require long-term institutional care; almost one-third suffer epileptic seizures; there is a persistence of symptoms and difficulty in gaining useful speech; few live independently or are capable of employment.

[Testicular function during prolonged corticotherapy].

Prolonged corticosteroid therapy produces a major degree of protein catabolism. Short-term treatment with ACTH or glucocorticoids results, in males, in a fall in plasma testosterone levels. In order to determine the origin of this hypogonadism, the testicular function was investigated in 18 men under prolonged glucocorticoid treatment.

Hip flexion contractures: a comparison of measurement methods.

Rater reliability characteristics of four positioning techniques used to measure hip extension (prone hip extension, Thomas, Mundale, and pelvifemoral angle) were compared. Two raters examined 45 children (90 hips), including patients with spastic diplegia and with meningomyelocele, who are prone to developing hip flexion contractures, and healthy subjects. Retests were performed on 21 children.

The in vitro interaction of alpha-difluoromethyl ornithine (DFMO) and several interferons on human cell lines.

The antiproliferative effects of six different human interferons were examined on two human cell lines--HM7 (human melanoma cell line) and MDA-MB-231 (human breast carcinoma cell line). A dose-response curve was developed for each interferon in which the maximum dose applied gave at least 30% growth inhibition of control values after 96-128 h of continuous exposure. An amount of alpha-difluoromethyl ornithine (DFMO) which caused 25% growth inhibition (0.

True hermaphroditism: from female to male endocrine status.

True hermaphroditism was revealed by monthly intrascrotal bleeding in a 21-yr-old subject of male phenotype who had undergone surgical treatment for gonadal ectopy at the age of 7 yr. The presence of an ovary was demonstrated by the endocrine profile of an ovulatory menstrual cycle. Evidence for the presence of a testis was provided by a plasma testosterone increase after hCG administration (5000 IU/day for 3 days) and its spontaneous response to an endogenous preovulatory LH peak.

[Medical treatment of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas. Influence of the size of the adenoma].

Forty-two patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma (prolactinoma) demonstrated by a radiologically abnormal sella turcica and hyperprolactinaemia were treated with bromocriptine. Baseline serum prolactin levels, which before treatment correlated with the size of the adenoma, returned to normal under bromocriptine in 30 out of 36 cases; in 6 female patients, however, they were lowered but remained moderately high. The dose of bromocriptine and the time required for normalization of prolactinaemia correlated with the size of the tumour.

[Postpartum definitive hypothyroidism. 7 cases].

Seven cases of hypothyroidism developed within 6 months of delivery are reported. Radioimmunoassays regularly showed very low thyroxin levels and high thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, thus confirming that the thyroid deficiency was of peripheral origin. A significant rise in antimicrosomal or antithyroglobulin antibodies was noted in 5 cases.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in fibromuscular dysplasia of the internal carotid artery: one year clinical and morphological follow-up.

A case of fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) of the internal carotid artery was treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) using a Grüntzig balloon. A control angiographic study performed with intravenous digital subtraction angiography (IV DSA) showed a completely patent dilated vessel. This result, together with the total relief of clinical signs and symptoms, is evidence of the value of PTA in the treatment of FMD of the internal carotid artery.

Effect of central hypervolemia on cardiac performance during exercise.

To investigate the effect of different levels of central blood volume on cardiac performance during exercise, M-mode echocardiography was utilized to determine left ventricular size and performance during cycling exercise in the upright posture (UP), supine posture (SP), and head-out water immersion (WI). At submaximal work loads requiring a mean O2 consumption (Vo2) of 1.2 1/min and 1.

Purification and properties of the inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory unit of brain adenylate cyclase.

Hormonal inhibition of adenylate cyclase is mediated by a guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (Ni) which is different from the one which mediates hormonal stimulation. There is substantial evidence that the active component of Ni (termed alpha i can be ADP-ribosylated by a toxin from Bordetella pertussis. We have found that in bovine cerebral cortex there are three proteins of similar molecular weight (39,000-41,000) which are modified by pertussis toxin.

Pollination and pre-dispersal seed predation: net effects on reproduction and inflorescence characteristics in Ipomopsis aggregata.

We examined net seed production for the self-incompatible, monocarp, Ipomopsis aggregata, by monitoring pre-pollination seed parasite (Hylemya sp.) oviposition and hummingbird mediated fruit set on 21 plants of variable height. Both pollination and seed predation increased with inflorescence height.

Laser method for recording displacement of the heart and chest wall.

Several non-invasive methods are in use for recording mechanocardiograms. In this paper a new laser technique will be presented to measure heart motion, chest wall displacement and other displacement curves of cardiovascular structures. Principles of the laser displacement technique are described.

[Hematologic repercussions of disorders of thyroid secretion].

The effects on blood of abnormal thyroid hormone secretion were investigated in a prospective study involving 80 patients. Anaemia, when present, could usually be ascribed to association with another pathology. In non-anaemic patients an excess or a deficiency of thyroid hormones had opposite effects on erythrocytes.

The in vitro interaction of RA-233 and several interferons on human cell lines.

The antiproliferative effects of six different human interferons were examined in two human cell lines: HM7 (human melanoma cell line) and MDA-MB-231 (human breast carcinoma cell line). A dose-response curve was developed for each interferon in which the maximum dose applied gave at least 30% growth inhibition of control values after 96-128 hours of continuous exposure. An amount of RA-233 which caused 25% growth inhibition (0.