Human treponematosis and tuberculosis: evidence from the New World.

The purpose of this study has been first, to critically review the evidence for the presence of human treponematosis and tuberculosis in the skeletal remains of prehistoric natives in the New World, and second, to report on nine new cases dated to before contact and suggesting the presence of these two disease conditions. A review of the medical history and findings by human paleopathologists leaves little doubt that both diseases originated in the Old World. The findings of this study lend further support to the fact that, although rare, human treponematosis and tuberculosis were indeed endemic in the pre-Columbia New World before contact. There is no evidence that these two diseases could have arisen independently and de novo, especially during the relatively short time since man's arrival in the New World. Where a disease has been endemic for quite some time as appears to be the case with human treponematosis and tuberculosis, milder forms of the disease and improved host response could have developed in which only the most severe cases would be observable. This explains the rarity of skeletal lesions suggestive of these two human disease conditions in prehistoric human populations.     

A possible case of pre-Columbian treponematosis from New York State

This paper presents evidence for what is believed to be the first reported case of pre-Columbian treponematosis in northeastern North America. The temporal position of the skeletal material, salvaged from a site in New York State, is determined on the basis of archeological evidence.     

STUDIES ON THE CROSS-STRIATION OF THE INDIRECT FLIGHT MYOFIBRILS OF THE BLOWFLY CALLIPHORA

1. The cross-striation in the indirect flight myofibrils of Calliphora has been studied by phase contrast and polarised light microscopy. The band pattern at rest-length has been determined in flies killed in osmium tetroxide vapour while their wings remained in the resting position. All other observations have been made on unfixed fibrils. Although length changes in situ are probably very slight (about 2 per cent), isolated fibrils, by treatment with crude muscle extract or with ATP, can be induced to elongate to 104 per cent rest-length, or to shorten by 8 per cent but no more. Over the range 98 to 104 per cent rest-length, experimentally induced length changes are reversible. The fibrils can also be stretched beyond 104 per cent rest-length, but the process is irreversible. During the course of glycerol extraction the fibrils elongate to 104 per cent rest-length. 2. The changes in band pattern observed over the range 104 to 92 per cent rest-length are qualitatively the same as the changes observed over a wider range (about 130 to 40 per cent rest-length) in the skeletal myofibrils of rabbits. The earlier stages of shortening appear to be effected by retraction of the I bands into the A bands where they fill up the H zones. No evidence has been found that any changes in band pattern are due to a migration of the A substance. 3. Two components of the sarcomere can be extracted from it and a third component remains behind. These three components, which have also been demonstrated in skeletal myofibrils of the rabbit, where they behave in the same way, are: (a) the A substance which does not change its position as the fibril changes its length, and which can be extracted by the same procedures as remove myosin (shown elsewhere to be the A substance) from rabbit fibrils; (b) a material which extends from the Z lines to the borders of the H zone and which moves inwards during contraction and outwards during elongation; it can capture rabbit myosin from solution and form with it a contractile system, and it is thought to be actin; (c) a "backbone" or stroma bearing Z and M lines. 4. Since all these features of the cross-striation are the same in the insect fibrils as in rabbit fibrils, it is considered very probable that the sarcomere is similarly organised in both types of muscle and contracts by essentially the same mechanism.     

New approaches to the study of disease in archeological New World populations.

One of the objectives of paleopathology is to clarify the role of disease in the evolution of human groups. The recovery of DNA and immunoglobulins from archeological human skeletal tissue offers a method for enhancing and expanding our knowledge about the presence and significance of disease in past human populations. DNA also might reveal the presence of genetic disease. Immunoglobulins recovered from archeological bone indicate some of the diseases to which an individual was exposed during life. This information also provides supporting evidence for anatomical observations of skeletal disease. This is illustrated by the identification of treponemal antibody in an archeological skeleton that has gross lesions suggestive of treponematosis. Similar biochemical methods could be applied to other research problems to clarify the presence of various syndromes of the inflammatory erosive arthropathies, such as rheumatoid arthritis, in New World archeological populations. Some of these syndromes are associated with DNA sequences and specific proteins that are recoverable from archeological skeletal tissue.     

A comparative study of the effects of the diamine oxidase inhibitor aminoguanidine, with or without dietary restriction, on the nucleic acid and protein composition of cardiac and type I and type II skeletal muscles of the rat.

It has been proposed that the diamine oxidase inhibitor aminoguanidine may be a potential therapeutically important anabolic agent. An investigation was therefore made into the effects of aminoguanidine treatment with or without nutritional restriction, on cardiac and skeletal muscles containing mainly of either Type I (i.e. soleus) or Type II fibres (i.e. plantaris) or a mixture of Type I and II fibres (i.e. gastrocnemius). After 3 weeks, dietary restrictions reduced cardiac weight, protein, RNA and DNA contents by between 31 per cent and 36 per cent. Similar, but smaller, reductions were observed in the soleus (18-31 per cent), plantaris (22-34 per cent) and gastrocnemius (22-34 per cent). Aminoguanidine had no effect on the heart of the rats fed ad libitum, nor did it alter the response to dietary restriction. Treatment with aminoguanidine had no overt anabolic effect on skeletal muscle, but a reduction in DNA content was observed. It was concluded that cardiac protein and nucleic acid contents are more sensitive to dietary deprivation than either anaerobic or aerobic skeletal muscles. Furthermore, aminoguanidine does not appear to promote growth or reduce catabolism as previous studies have suggested.     

Pre-Columbian treponemal disease from 14th century AD Safed,Israel, and implications for the medieval eastern Mediterranean

In 1912, 68 medieval crania were excavated from a cave at Safed in the eastern Mediterranean and brought to the United Kingdom. It is only recently that these skulls have been studied for evidence of disease. One adult individual demonstrates multiple lesions of the cranial vault, compatible with treponematosis. Radiocarbon dating suggests the year of death to be between 1290-1420 AD. This range equates to the mamluk period, just after the crusades. This is the oldest dated case of treponematosis in the Middle East, and the first to confirm its presence there before the epidemiologically important transatlantic voyage of Christopher Columbus. The finding has significant implications for our understanding of the introduction of the disease to the Middle East and of the medieval diagnosis of ulcerating skin conditions by medical practitioners in the Mediterranean world.     

A TEN-YEAR STUDY OF ANENCEPHALY

The incidence of anencephaly at the Los Angeles County General Hospital during the period of July, 1948 through June, 1958 was 0.049 per cent. Worldwide the range of reported incidence is 0.012 per cent to 0.671 per cent.In this study 65 per cent of the total number of anencephalics delivered were females, a predominance agreeing with reports by other investigators.Polyhydramnios appeared in 38 per cent of the anencephalic pregnancies of this study, while 15 per cent of the deliveries were complicated by placenta praevia.A significant number (48 per cent) of the multiparae gave a history of previous stillbirths or abortions.The present study does not support observations by other investigators which indicated an increase in anencephalic births during the winter months.Evidence from stillbirth statistics would seem to indicate that anencephaly is primarily a genetically induced phenomenon. Further evaluation and analysis of the predominance of females in anencephalic stillbirths and abortions is suggested, in order to study whether the observed secondary or birth sex ratio (in which males predominate) is, in fact, due to genetic effect.     

Age estimation biases based on body size: the differential impacts of soft tissue on skeletal ageing

The aim of this research project is to explore the differential impacts of soft tissues on skeletal ageing and apply these findings to skeletal age estimation methods. Computed tomography (CT) scans of 412 size-selected individuals from Ontario, Canada, were assessed using an adapted pubic symphysis age estimation method. Individuals ranged from 20 to 79 years of age (mean = 49.46 years), with 208 males and 204 females. Almost 80 per cent of the sample was assigned to the correct age phase; those not correctly aged followed a similar pattern. Individuals with higher body mass, body mass index (BMI), circumference, and total fat area were over-aged and those with lower body mass, BMI, circumference, and total fat area were under-aged. High amounts of adipose tissue led to increased skeletal degeneration, but high amounts of muscle tissue did not have a protective effect. Skeletal elements were not reliable proxies for body mass; however, other morphological features may help identify individuals with high body mass from skeletal remains.     

Degeneration of insect intersegmental muscles: electrophysiological studies of populations of fibres

Several parameters were observed during the degeneration of the intersegmental muscles of moths. Within 5 hr after the emergence of the moth, capacitance of the fibres decreases 70 per cent, and resistance begins to climb, the latter reaching a maximum value approximately 300 per cent that at the time of emergence, at 20 hr. The loss in muscle mass is detectable approximately 3 hr after emergence, but the muscle remains fully contractile for at least 10 hr; and intracellular depolarization can elicit localized contractions for another 5 hr. Motor end plates remain potentially capable of function throughout this period. The changes in membrane properties represent the earliest known physiological manifestations of lysis.     

Race, health, and disease in 19th-century-born males

This study analyzed skeletal health disparities among African American and Euro-American males of low socioeconomic status born between 1825 and 1877. A total of 651 skeletons from the Cobb, Hamann-Todd, and Terry anatomical collections were macroscopically examined for skeletal pathologies related to dietary deficiencies and disease. Individuals were separated into age, ancestry, birth (Antebellum, Civil War, Pre-Reconstruction, and Reconstruction), combined ancestry/birth, enslaved versus liberated, and collection cohorts. These groups were statistically evaluated using ANOVA and χ(2) analyses to determine if age, ethnic, and temporal differences existed. Results indicated that African Americans, especially those born during Reconstruction, had significantly higher frequencies of tuberculosis (P = 0.004) and treponematosis (P = 0.006) than Euro-Americans. Historical sources are important in contextualizing why these different ethnic and temporal patterns were present, pointing to environmental conditions related to enslavement, postliberation migration to the industrialized North, crowded urban living conditions, and poor sanitation.     

Colorimetric analysis with N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine of the uptake of intravenously injected horseradish peroxidase by various tissues of the rat

1. A method is described for the colorimetric determination of peroxidase with N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine. The amount of red pigment formed by peroxidase is proportional to the concentration of enzyme and to the time of incubation during the first 40 to 90 seconds. The influence of the concentration of enzyme, N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine, H(2)O(2), the time of incubation, pH, the temperature, and the possible interference by oxidizing and reducing agents of tissues has been tested. 2. The method has been used to follow the uptake of intravenously injected horseradish peroxidase by 18 different tissues of the rat over a period of 30 hours. The highest concentration of the injected tracer enzyme was found in extracts of kidney, liver, bone marrow, thymus, and spleen. Considerable amounts were taken up by pancreas, prostate, epididymis, and small intestine. Lower concentrations were found in extracts of lung, stomach, heart, and skeletal muscle, aorta, skin, and connective tissue. No uptake was observed by brain and peripheral nerve tissue. 3. Tissue homogenates containing high concentrations of the injected peroxidase, in general also showed high or average activity of acid phosphatase. 4. Six hours after intravenous administration, the liver contained 27 per cent, the kidney 12 per cent, and the spleen, 1.4 per cent of the injected dose. 5. Approximately 20 per cent of the injected peroxidase was excreted in the urine during the first 6 hours, and the concentration of peroxidase in blood serum and urine fell exponentially during this time. After 6 hours, only low concentrations were excreted in the urine but low enzyme activity was still detectable after 30 hours. Approximately 6 per cent of the injected dose was excreted in the feces from 6 to 20 hours after administration. 6. After feeding through a stomach tube, low concentrations of peroxidase were found in blood serum and urine. Considerable variations in the extent of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract were observed in individual rats.     

Monitoring of uropathogens and their susceptibility to antibiotics]

Samples of urine collected from patients with complicated urology infection and hospitalized to the Moscow Region Research Clinical Institute in 1986, 1991, 1995 and 1999 were analysed. Of 11,444 samples examined, bacteriuria was estimated in 7143 samples. 9786 strains (29 genus) of bacteria were isolated--56.9 per cent as mono culture and 43.1 per cent as associations. Susceptibility to 21 antibiotic was determined by disk diffusion method for 1607 strains; beta-lactamase production was determined in 198 strains, MIC was determined for 41 antibiotics. Gram-negative rods relative amount among pathogens decreased substantially (84.7 per cent in 1986 against 61.6 per cent in 1999), particularly Enterobacteriaceae (74.7 per cent in 1986 against 41.4 per cent in 1999). Nonfermenting Gram-negative rods (NFGNR) relative amount increased (10.8 per cent against 19.2 per cent), along with Gram-positive cocci (19.8 per cent against 64.2 per cent), particularly coagulasenegative staphylococci (CNS) (10.8 per cent against 35.9 per cent) and enterococci (5 per cent against 16.5 per cent) and candida and fungi (0.5 per cent in 1986 against 15.9 per cent in 1999). At the period 1986-1999 the main pathogens in urology infection were E. coli, Enterobacter spp., NFGNR (including P. aeruginosa), Staphylococcus, CNS, Enterococcus spp. The problem pathogens for urological department were the following: E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp., NFGNR including P. aeruginosa, CNS, Enterococcus spp., candida and fungi. At the period 1991-1997 Gram-negative pathogens susceptibility to amikacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, ceftazidime, cefotaxime was not changed in general, Gram-positive cocci (staphylococci and enterococci) retained the same susceptibility to vancomicin, cefamandol and amoxyclave. Staphylococci were also susceptible to amikacin, imipenem, rifampicin, oxacillin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin. Production of beta-lactamase was registered for 38.7 per cent of CNS, 26.5 per cent of E. coli, 38.5 per cent of K. pneumoniae, 25 per cent of P. mirabilis and 55.6 per cent of P. aeruginosa strains.     

Radiographic Diagnosis of Intestinal Perforation in Early Infancy

Records of 25 patients with intestinal perforation in early infancy who were treated at the Los Angeles County General Hospital in a period of 15 years were reviewed. Sixteen had roentgen evidence of pneumoperitoneum, and nine did not. The mortality rate was 94 per cent in the group with pneumoperitoneum, 78 per cent in the other, and 88 per cent overall. Multiple sites in the gastrointestinal tract were involved, and the causes of the lesions were diverse and frequently obscure. Prematurity, obstetrical and iatrogenic complications, and congenital anomalies were factors often associated with intestinal perforation. Roentgen features appeared to offer the best hope for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.     

Voluntary Health Insurance Coverage in California, 1961: A Report of the Bureau of Research and Planning, California Medical Association

Almost 7 out of every 10 of the estimated population of 16.2 million persons in California, were covered under some form of voluntary health insurance at the end of 1961. The forms of protection included hospital, surgical, regular medical and major medical expense benefits. The per cent of the civilian population of California covered for surgical benefits was slightly over 66 per cent, while 56 per cent were covered for regular medical expense benefits. Comparable percentages for the United States are approximately 74 per cent (hospital), 69 per cent (surgical), and 51 per cent (regular medical). While the percentage of the State's population covered for hospital and surgical expenses is below that for the United States, it is higher for regular medical expense benefits. The rate of increase in coverage for the different forms of health care protection in California exceeded the rate of population growth during the one-year period ending 1961. The foregoing summary and the information in the accompanying text, does not reflect the total number of persons in California who receive or are eligible for health care services. A large variety of government financed programs on local, state and federal levels either finance or provide such services to an estimated 40 to 50 per cent of the California population, which does not have voluntary health insurance coverage. No current data are available regarding the number of persons who do not desire voluntary health insurance coverage for a variety of personal or financial reasons.     

CONGENITAL SYPHILIS IN CALIFORNIA

Routine serologic tests for syphilis (as required by California law governing prenatal examination) and penicillin therapy during pregnancy for infected mothers have been major factors in the prevention of congenital syphilis in California during the past ten years. In 1940 one of each 822 infants had the disease, as indicated by morbidity reports of congenital syphilis in infants under the age of one year. In 1950 the ratio was one in 8,148. To determine why congenital syphilis continues to occur, a study of the 134 cases reported over a two-year period was made with the cooperation of local health officers and practicing physicians. It showed that in 76 per cent of cases the mother did not consult a physician prior to delivery or reported so late in pregnancy that the infant was born before adequate penicillin therapy could be given. In another 15 per cent syphilis developed in the mother during pregnancy after a negative reaction to a prenatal serologic test. The other 9 per cent of cases were due to various factors, such as infectious relapse or reinfection in previously adequately treated mothers. The study indicated that most cases occur in the lower socioeconomic population groups. Seventy-four per cent of cases were in infants delivered in county hospitals.     

Patterns of anemia and infection from medieval York,England

An assessment of the presence and patterns of porotic hyperostosis and periosteal reactions in the skeletal population (n = 1,014) from St. Helen-on-the-Walls, York, are used to examine health and disease in urban medieval England. The analyses of these two lesions indicate that 58% of the population display evidence of porotic hyperostosis and that 21.5% of the population display periosteal reactions. Through differential diagnosis it is asserted that porotic hyperostosis is associated with iron-deficiency anemia, and that periosteal reactions may be the result of endemic treponematosis and/or non-specific infection, including parasitic infestation. An association between the presence of remodeled lesions and adulthood is noticeable for both porotic hyperostosis and periosteal reactions, as is a pattern of increased average age at death for those displaying both conditions. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Myelination in rat brain: changes in myelin composition during brain maturation

Abstract— Myelin was isolated from rat brains during development by a procedure giving fractions of constant purity at all ages. The lipid composition of these fractions and of whole brains of littermates was determined. The amount of myelin recovered per brain was a nearly linear function of the logarithm of age from the youngest (15 days) to the oldest (425 days) animals studied. With the exception of the earliest age point, the isolated myelin accounted for approximately 40 per cent of total brain galactolipid, evidence that a constant fraction (calculated to be 60 per cent) of myelin was recovered at all ages. Although the lipid-protein ratio of the myelin was constant with age, marked changes were seen in the amounts of cerebroside, sulphatide, phosphatidylcholine and desmosterol. The total galactolipid increased from 21 per cent of the total lipid at age 15 days to about 31 per cent at maturity. Phosphatidylcholine decreased from 17 to 11 per cent during the same period. Desmosterol decreased from 2.5 per cent of the total sterol to 0.2-0.3 per cent. All of these changes were complete between 2 and 5 months of age; no other ‘lower phase’ lipids showed significant changes with age. Although qualitatively similar to those reported by others, the changes differed in magnitude, with more stability in the levels of cholesterol and phosphatidalethanolamine with development. A sensitive indicator of the maturation of myelin was the mole ratio galactolipid/phosphatidylcholine, which varied from 1.2 at age 15 days to 2.8 at maturity. The maximum rate of myelination occurred at 20 days of postnatal age when myelin was deposited at the rate of 3.5 mg day^?1 brain^?1. However, at this age the rat brain had only 15 per cent of its eventual complement of myelin. The rate of accumulation of cerebroside in the whole brain paralleled that of myelin, and was the only lipid to show this relationship. Myelin deposition appeared to be almost solely responsible for the continued increase in brain weight after about 100 days of age.     

Epidemiological survey of rhinosporidiosis in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu

One hundred and twelve nasal polyps received along with full history from three different hospitals of Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu during the period 1983–1987 were found positive for rhinosporidiosis on histopathological examination. Among the four taluks (countries) the majority of the cases (41.1 per cent) came from Agastheeswaram, followed by Kalkulam (28.6 per cent), Thovalai (17.0 per cent) and Vilavancode (13.3 per cent). The 11–20 years age group found to be highly susceptible (60 per cent). There was no sex prepondence in contracting the disease as the cases were evenly distributed between both sexes. These findings exhibited the endemic nature of the disease in Kanyakumari district.Unreported cases to an extent of 9 to 40 per cent were encountered during the ENT disease diagnostic camps conducted in nine high incidence villages. Further 8 more cases were detected in addition to cases attended in the hospitals and ENT camps when a complete enumeration of cases was undertaken in Pallam village. Thus the actual number of cases found in the district need a stratified random sampling.     

BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF THYROID DEFICIENCY ON THE DEVELOPING BRAIN

Abstract— The effects of neonatal thyroidectomy on some constituents of the cerebrum, cerebellum and liver of the rat have been studied during the first 7 weeks of life. In the normal rat between the 6th and 14th post-natal days the RNA content per unit of DNA in the brain increased by 70 per cent. Although the brain continued to grow from the 14th to the 35th day, the amount of RNA relative to DNA decreased by about 20 per cent. The ratio of protein to DNA increased during the whole period studied and in the cerebral cortex it was more than trebled between the age of 6 and 35 days. The growth of the cerebellum extended over a longer period than that of the cerebrum, its weight increasing by 88 per cent between the ages of 14 and 35 days as compared with a cerebral increase of 34 per cent. The DNA content showed a 50 per cent increase during this period. Qualitatively these maturational changes were not affected by neonatal thyroidectomy. Quantitative changes, which applied equally to the cerebral cortex and brain as a whole, were observed. At the age of 35 days, the weights of the cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum were reduced by thyroidectomy by 20 per cent; the overall DNA content per organ did not change, but the amounts of protein and RNA relative to DNA decreased significantly. It is therefore inferred that thyroid deficiency affects the size of the cells in brain and cerebellum rather than their total number. Conversely, the cell population of the liver was only a quarter of that in the control. There was a small but significant decrease in the hepatic protein and RNA content in the hypothyroid animal. The activities of the following enzymes which served as markers for subcellular fractions in homogenates of cerebral cortex were determined: lactate dehydrogenase for the supernatant, glutamate dehydrogenase for the mitochondrial and glutamate decarboxylase for the synaptosomal fractions. When the activities were expressed on a fresh weight basis a significant decrease by comparison with the control values was observed only in the case of glutamate decarboxylase (—15 per cent at the age of 17–32 days); when the activities were based on DNA content all values were reduced, probably as a result of the general decrease in cell size. Pyrimidine metabolism of brain and liver, studied after the administration of [6-¹⁴C]-orotic acid, was not affected in either tissue by neonatal thyroidectomy. A small but significant reduction in the incorporation of labelled pyrimidine nucleotides in liver RNA was observed, but no significant decrease in the incorporation in cerebral RNA was found in the hypothyroid rats.