Staining Neuroglia with Silver Diammino-Hydroxide after Sensitizing with Sodium Sulfite and Embedding in Paraffin

Pieces of brain are fixed in formalin ammonium bromide for about 4 days at room temperature, and given the following treatment: After washing, dehydrating and clearing, embed in paraffin, section and mount. Deparaffinize sections and pass through graded alcohols to water. Sensitize in 5% sodium sulfite for 2 hours, wash in distilled water and impregnate with silver diamminohydroxide solution 2-5 minutes at room temperature. Reduce in 2% formalin, wash in distilled water and tone in gold chloride. Fix in 5% hypo, counterstain with 1% picric acid, dehydrate and cover in balsam. Equally good results are obtained by impregnating with Hortega's strong silver carbonate. The microglia, oligodendroglia, fibrous and protoplasmic astrocytes in the cat, rabbit, newborn and adult human are successfully stained by this method.     

Morphogenesis and Homology in Arthropod Limbs

Arthropods exhibit highly diverse limb morphologies rangingfrom unbranched walking legs to multibranched swimming paddles.Understanding morphogenesis in structurally diverse limbs canbe useful for ascertaining homologies between limbs. Structurallysimilar limbs have been produced by different evolutionary modificationsof morphogenesis in certain cases. Whereas it is easy to supportthe claim that whole arthropod limbs are homologous structures,I demonstrate that it is not always possible to draw well-foundedhomologies between parts of different limbs. This result isimportant with regard to general models of appendage developmentand evolution in arthropods because it clarifies contradictoryexplanations based exclusively on gene expression data.     

Transduction and Genetic Homology Between Pseudomonas Species putida and aeruginosa

Genetic crosses occur by transduction between the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. putida. The frequency relative to intraspecific transfer is reduced and varies among markers, suggesting that these genomes contain discrete regions of homology and nonhomology.     

Assessment of Birmingham Medical Students

At Birmingham University since 1966 the major medical examinations began to be replaced by a process of continuous assessment. This is based on fairly frequent tests, usually at the end of each course, including short essay questions, multiple-choice questions, and tests of ability in wards and laboratory. At the end of the first final-year course 96 students underwent assessment. Of these 77 passed; 19 were referred for re-examination, of whom a further 12 passed subsequently. The scheme was found suitable by both teachers and external examiners.