New Approach to Information Handling in General Practice

In this paper we describe the use of punched feature cards in a general practice for 18 months. Its advantages are the low cost, speed of information retrieval, visible statistics, computer compatibility, accuracy, confidentiality, flexibility, and simplicity of setting up and collection of information. The system encourages the doctor to ask questions about his practice, and could readily be adopted in other practices.     

Divergence time estimates of mammals from molecular clocks and fossils: Relevance of new fossil finds from India

This paper presents a brief review of recent advances in the classification of mammals at higher levels using fossils and molecular clocks. It also discusses latest fossil discoveries from the Cretaceous — Eocene (66–55 m.y.) rocks of India and their relevance to our current understanding of placental mammal origins and diversifications.     

MutantHFE genotype leads to significant iron overload in patients with liver diseases from western Romania

The present study aimed at assessing the frequency ofHFE mutations (C282Y, H63D and S65C) in western Romanian patients with liver disease of diverse aetiologies suspected of iron overload. A total of 21 patients, all Romanian residents hospitalized with clinical suspicion of iron overload and liver disease, were assayed for C282Y, H63D and S65C mutations, serum ferritin and viral hepatitis markers. Overall, 9 out of the 21 patients (42.86%) were found to harbour mutations in theHFE gene: 4 homozygotes C282Y (19.0%), 1 compound heterozygote C282Y/H63D (4.8%), 1 single heterozygote C282Y (4.8%), 2 single heterozygotes H63D (9.5%), 1 single heterozygote S65C (4.8%), and 12 wild-type cases (57.1%). Among the subgroup of 10 patients with the most prominent signs of iron overload (hyperferritinaemia and/or hepatocyte iron score ≥ 1), without hepatocellular carcinoma, theHFE genotypes were conclusive in 5 cases (50%). They had significantly increased ferritin levels compared to wild-type cases (P = 0.029). The inclusion of iron studies during routine clinical visits, coupled with the availability ofHFE genotyping for family and population studies, should facilitate the early detection of hereditary haemochromatosis in Romania.     

Physical microhabitat requirements of freshwater pearl mussels,Margaritifera margaritifera (L.)

Surface sediment diatoms from the east coast of Lake Tanganyika were analysed using ordination and classification techniques, and compared with assemblages previously described from the northern part of the lake. Grain-size analyses were performed on subsamples. Four groups of diatom assemblages were recognised. The first group clusters samples taken in the north, far from the Rusizi river mouth. The second group comprises samples taken on silty sediment along the Tanzanian coast, including one sample taken near the mouth of the Malagarazi river and those from the northernmost part of the lake. The third group comprises surface sediments along the Burundian coast (near Ramba and Magara), and the fourth is characterised by epipsammic taxa. A sample taken near the central arm of the Malagarazi river is included in the latter group. The impact of small rivers on the diatom assemblages in the surface sediments is restricted to the mouth area.     

Chlamydia isopodii sp. n., an obligate intracellular parasite of Porcellio scaber

In an ultrastructural study of the hepatopancreas of Porcellio scaber, an obligate intracellular parasite, Chlamydia, was noted in the epithelial cells. Although the infection was found to extend the entire length of the hepatopancreas, it was most extensive in the glandular region. Indirect immunofluorescence testing revealed no cross-reactivity with either lymphogranuloma venereum or psittacosis antisera.     

Rapid quantitative analysis of binary mixtures of Escherichia coli strains using pyrolysis mass spectrometry with multivariate calibration and artificial neural networks

Pyrolysis mass spectrometry (PyMS) and multivariate calibration were used to show the high degree of relatedness between Escherichia coli HB101 and E. coli UB5201. Next, binary mixtures of these two phenotypically closely related E. coli strains were prepared and subjected to PyMS. Fully interconnected feedforward artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to analyse the pyrolysis mass spectra to obtain quantitative information representative of the level of E. coli UB5201 in E. coli HB101. The ANNs exploited were trained using the standard back propagation algorithm, and the nodes used sigmoidal squashing functions. Accurate quantitative information was obtained for mixtures with >3% E. coli UB5201 in E. coli HB101. To remove noise from the pyrolysis mass spectra and so lower the limit of detection, the spectra were reduced using principal components analysis (PCA) and the first 13 principal components used to train ANNs. These PCA-ANNs allowed accurate estimates at levels as low as 1% E. coli UB5201 in E. coli HB101 to be predicted. In terms of bacterial numbers, it was shown that the limit of detection for PyMS in conjunction with ANNs was 3 × 10⁴ E. coli UB5201 cells in 1·6 × 10⁷ E. coli HB101 cells. It may be concluded that PyMS with ANNs provides a powerful and rapid method for the quantification of mixtures of closely related bacterial strains.