Politics and pellagra: the epidemic of pellagra in the U.S. in the early twentieth century.

The epidemic of pellagra in the first half of this century at its peak produced at least 250,000 cases and caused 7,000 deaths a year for several decades in 15 southern states. It also filled hospital wards in other states, which had a similar incidence but refused to report their cases. Political influences interfered, not only with surveillance of the disease, but also in its study, recognition of its cause, and the institution of preventive measures when they became known. Politicians and the general public felt that it was more acceptable for pellagra to be infectious than for it to be a form of malnutrition, a result of poverty and thus an embarrassing social problem. Retrospectively, a change in the method of milling cornmeal, degermination, which began shortly after 1900, probably accounted for the appearance of the epidemic; such a process was suggested at the time, but the suggestion was ignored.     

Corpuscular bodies in the palate of the rat. 2. Innervation and central projection.

The source of innervation of the corpuscular bodies in the palate and the central projections of the afferent fibres of the entire palate was studied in rats by transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase conjugated to wheat germ agglutinin (WGA-HRP) and with substance P (SP) immunohistochemistry. WGA-HRP injected into the incisal papilla was taken up by the nerve fibres that terminated in the corpuscles. Retrogradely labelled neurons were observed in the trigeminal ganglion as well as anterogradely labelled terminals in the dorsolateral part of the spinal trigeminal nucleus and in the lateral part of the nucleus of the solitary tract. No labelling could be found in the geniculate ganglion, the facial nerve and the hypoglossal nucleus. Following WGA-HRP injection in the intermolar area and in the soft palate, labelling was only restricted to the trigeminal ganglion. The lamina propria of the entire palate and the corpuscle-enriched area of the incisal papilla and the soft palate were richly innervated by SP-containing fibres. Numerous SP-containing fibres were also observed in the nerve plexus at the base of the corpuscle. In addition, SP-positive neurons were identified in the trigeminal ganglion and SP-labelled terminals in the sensory trigeminal nuclear complex and in the solitary tract nucleus. On the basis of our morphological observations we conclude that the palatal corpuscular bodies are involved in taste perception which is of trigeminal origin.     

E.s.r. and spin-trapping studies of dihydropyrimidines. gamma-Radiolysis in the polycrystalline state and U.V. photolysis in aqueous solution

gamma-Radiolysis in the polycrystalline state and U.V. photolysis in aqueous solution at 220 nm of several dihydropyrimidines and their derivatives have been investigated by spin-trapping and electron spin resonance. 2-Methyl-2-nitrosopropane was used as the spin-trap. The spin-adducts of the 6-yl radicals obtained fall into two categories. Those from dihydro-1-methyluracil, dihydro-6-methyluracil, dihydro-1-ethyluracil and dihydro-1-methylcytosine exhibit a beta-nitrogen hyperfine coupling constant (alpha beta N) equal to or less than 2.0 G while the ones fom dihydro-orotic acid, dihydrouracil and dihydrothymine showed much larger alpha beta N values (greater than 3.3 G). Dihydrouridine gives radicals characteristic of both the dihydropyrimidine ring and the sugar moiety. The same radicals were obtained by gamma-radiolysis or U.V. photolysis. For all the 5-yl radicals obtained by U.V. photolysis, a direct photoexcitation mechanism is proposed.     

Physical anthropology in 1918 and the founding of the U.S. journal

In 1918, the first issue of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology was prepared and distributed by Aleš Hrdlička, the Curator of Physical Anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution. This was a singular act, both in the general and specific sense. It was the first journal of physical anthropology published in the United States, and it was a sole effort by Hrdlička, who was committed to promoting and recognizing physical anthropology as a new science in America. On this 100th anniversary of the founding of the journal, Hrdlička's efforts were successful: physical/biological anthropology is a strong and timely discipline that represents a major area of scientific research today.     

Cholinergic microstimulation of the peribrachial nucleus in the cat. I. Immediate and prolonged increases in ponto-geniculo-occipital waves.

The cholinergic agonist carbachol was injected into the pontine Pb area where PGO bursting cells have been recorded. When microinjections were localized to the ventrolateral aspect of the caudal Pb nucleus near aggregates of ChAT immunolabeled cholinergic neurons, carbachol produced an immediate onset of state-independent PGO waves in the ipsilateral LGB. These state-independent PGO waves persisted for 3-4 days. After the first 24 hrs PGO wave activity increasingly became associated with REM sleep and with REM transitional SP sleep as both of these PGO-related states increased in amount to 3-4 times baseline levels. The increase in amount of PGO-related states peaked on days 2-4 following one carbachol injection and persisted for 10-12 days. These results suggest a two stage process: stage one, PGO enhancement, is the direct consequence of the membrane activation of cholinoceptive PGO burst neurons by carbachol; stage two, REM enhancement, is the consequence of metabolic activation of endogenous cholinergic neurons. This experimental preparation is a useful model for the study of the electrophysiology and functional significance of PGO wave and REM sleep generation.