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Notes: Abstract The anodic behaviour of rapidly quenched Ni81P19 samples prepared at different melt temperatures was investigated in 1.0 mol dm−3 aqueous HCl solution. The electrochemical properties of the alloys kept in melt at different temperatures are significantly influenced by the initial melt temperature. X-ray diffractometry suggests that this behaviour is associated with the presence of different quantities of crystalline secondary phase(s). On the basis of potentiodynamic polarization curves and potential-time functions recorded at constant current the alloys were characterized by a charge per surface unit amount proportional to the secondary phase content. A new model was proposed to characterize the anodic dissolution of alloys containing crystalline clusters.

Notes: Summary. Since 1996 thoracic surgery has been invoiced according to fixed reimbursement rates (Sonderentgelte, SE). The legislator argues that fixed reimbursement rates cover operation costs and justify a 20 % reduction in reimbursement for nursing. In order to examine this assumption we performed a cost analysis of thoracic surgery. Taking into account the staff, equipment, and operating theatre supplies, we analyzed 30 cases of five different types of operation prospectivly: wedge resections with more than three wedges (AR: n = 8), lobectomies (LE: n = 8), pneumonectomies (PE: n = 5), thoracoscopic wedge resections (VR: n = 6) and resections of mediastinal tumors (MR: n = 3). Then we calculated the overall costs for each operation. The costs for a LE amounted to DM 9,927, which is DM 4,904 more than the corresponding fixed reimbursement rate. The costs were DM 11,562 for a PE, DM 12,477 for a VR and DM 7,532 for a MR. Thus the costs were DM 5,539, DM 2,435 or DM 1,907 higher than the corresponding fixed reimbursement rates. The fixed reimbursement rate for an AR was DM 866 higher than the actual cost of DM 6,922. Only for a small number of cases do the fixed reimbursement rates cover the actual costs of thoracic surgery. Thus operation costs still need to be at least partly covered by the reimbursement for nursing.

Notes: Abstract Nucleotide sequence and biochemical analysis of d-β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.30), isolated from Rhodobacter sp., indicate functional oligomers composed of subunits of 257 amino acids with a calculated M r of 26,800 and a pI of 5.90. Compared to mammalian short-chain alcohol dehydrogenases, the bacterial enzyme lacks a C-terminal lipid anchor domain and was found to be highly active upon expression in Escherichia coli even without lipid supplement. The recombinant enzyme could be highly enriched using a single chromatography step and was shown to be stable over a broad range of pH and temperature.

Notes: Abstract Lumbar stenosis has been well discussed recently, especially at the 64th French Orthopaedic Society (SOFCOT: July 1989). The results of different surgical treatments were considered as good, but the indications for surgical treatment were not clear cut. Laminectomy is not the only treatment of spinal stenosis. Laminectomy is an approach with its own rate of complications (dural tear, fibrosis, instability... ). Eight years ago, J. Sénégas described what he called the “recalibrage” (enlargement). His feeling was that, in the spinal canal, we can find two different AP diameters. The first one is a fixed constitutional AP diameter (FCAPD) at the cephalic part of the lamina. The second one is a mobile constitutional AP diameter (MCAPD) marked by the disc and the ligamentum flavum. This diameter is maximal in flexion, minimal in extension. The nerve root proceeds through the lateral part of the canal: first above, between the disc and the superior articular process, then below, in the lateral recess bordered by the pedicle, the vertebral body and the posterior articulation. With the degenerative change the disc space becomes shorter, the superior articular process is worn out with osteophytes. These degenerative events are complicated by inter vertebral instability increasing the stenosis. The idea of the “recalibrage” is to remove only the upper part of the lamina with the ligamentum flavum and to cut the hypertrophied anterior part of the articular process from inside. If needed the disc and other osteophytes are removed. The surgery is finished with a ligamentoplasty reducing the flexion and preventing the extension by a posterior wedge. Our experience in spine surgery especially in scoliosis surgery, showed us that it was possible to cure a radicular compression without opening the canal. The compression is then lifted by the 3D reduction and restoration of an anatomy as normal as possible. Lumbar stenosis is the consequence of a degenerative process. Indeed, hip flexion, obesity or quite simply overuse, involve an increase in the lumbar lordosis. The posterior articulations are worn out and the disc gets damaged by shear forces. The disc space becomes shorter with a bulging disc, and the inferior articular process of the superior vertebra goes down. This is responsible of a loss of lordosis. For restoring the sagittal balance the patient needs more extension of the spine. Above and below the considered level the degenerative disease carries on extending to the whole spine. At the level considered, because of local extension, the inferior facet moves forward, the disc bulges, the ligamentum flavum is shortened and the stenosis is increased. This situation is improved by local kyphosis: the inferior facet moves backward, the disc and the ligamentum flavum are stretched with a quite normal posterior disc height and most often there is no more stenosis. Myelograms show this very well with a quite normal appearance lying, clear compression standing, worse in extension and improved, indeed disappeared in flexion. CT scan and MRI don't show that because they are done lying. The expression of the clinical situation is the same, mute lying and maximum standing with restriction of walking. For us lumbar stenosis is operated with lumbar reconstruction without opening the canal. The patient is in moderate kyphosis on the operating table. Pedicle screws rotated to match a bent rod allow reduction of the spine. The posterior disc height is respected and not distracted, and the anterior part of the disc is stretched in lordosis. The inferior facet is cut for the arthrodesis and no longer compresses the dura. The canal is well enlarged and the lumbar segment in lordosis is the best protection of the adjacent levels at follow-up. This behaviour responds to the same analysis as the ≪recalibrage≫ (enlargement). The mobile segment is damaged by the degenerative disease, the stenosis is a consequence of this damage. It's logical to treat the instability and to restore the normal static anatomy; thus bone resection is not necessary. At the present time all the lumbar stenoses with reduction in flexion are instrumented with spinal reduction and arthrodesis without opening the canal. The laminoarthrectomy and the enlargement are done when there is a fixed arthrosis which is rare in our practice and found in an older population. The follow-up shows a loss of reduction in some cases after reduction-instrumentation-arthrodesis and poses the question of an interbody fusion. We don't open the canal only for fusion (PLIF) if this is not necessary for the treatment of the stenosis. We think that, in such a situation, the future is ALIF with endoscopical approach. The problem is to determine which disc demanding this anterior fusion, is able to regenerate or not.

Notes: Summary For the first time an account is given of a giant follicular lymphoblastoma (Brill-Symmers disease) of the scalp and skull which had worked its way through the meninges and invaded the adjacent parenchyma of the brain. The clinical picture, the course, and the pathohistologic changes of this case are discussed. The pertinent literature is extensively considered with special reference to the manifestations involving bones and the central nervous system. Therapeutically an active surgical approach combined with X-ray therapy is recommended when the lesion appears to be confined to a group of lymph nodes or a particular organ. In this connection it is to be noted that macroscopically the intracerebral giant follicular lymphoblastoma fails to show a distinct demarcation from the collateral edema of the brain. Therefore, the extent of the surgery ought to be controlled by repeated frozen sections when the neoplasm is being removed. Apparently no experiences about the effect of modern cytostatic drugs on the giant follicular blastoma are available as yet.

Notes: Summary A hemagglutinating virus, recently isolated from the respiratory tract of turkeys, has been characterized and classified in the influenza A virus group. Wilmot virus can be considered a new serotype of this group, since it was found to be serologically distinct from the known influenza A viruses, which infect birds and mammals.

Notes: Summary In transmission experiments, the influenza A virus isolate turkey/ Ontario 7732/66 caused an acute disease in chickens and turkeys, but was apathogenic to ducks, geese and pigeons. After an incubation period from two to eight days, turkeys and chickens became rapidly depressed and died usually within the following four days. Other clinical signs were variable for the two gallinaceous species, such as exudative head swellings and gangrenous comb lesions in chickens, and diarrhea in turkeys. Infection by even minimal virus doses was fatal in turkeys, whereas chickens sometimes recovered from the disease or remained unaffected by the infection. Serial passage of the virus in chicken embryos accentuated this difference in species susceptibility still more. The infection spread easily by close contact among turkeys, but less among chickens. The signs and course of the disease by virus 7732 are compared to those described for classical fowl plague, and it is concluded that these two avian influenza virus infections cannot be differentiated by clinical criteria.

Notes: Summary The report presents a survey of the lesions observed in turkeys and chickens infected experimentally with the avian influenza A virus strain turkey/Ontario 7732/66. In both species, multiple focal necrosis throughout the body was the pathological dominant. Exudative processes were apparent in the subcutis of the head area in chickens. Hemorrhagic lesions were minimal in both species. The findings are compared to those made with three other avian influenza viruses of the same serological family, and with classical fowl plague. Distribution and degree of lesions in different organs may vary with the individual virus strains, but are not necessarily related to the serotype of the infecting agent. For this reason, pathological criteria cannot be used to distinguish between classical fowl plague and “fowl plaguelike” influenza A virus infections. Since neither serological, nor clinical, nor pathological criteria are adequate to define clearly classical fowl plague, this disease should be treated within the general context of “Avian Influenza”.

Notes: Abstract Thein vivo effects of deltamethrin (DM) on the blood sugar level, the acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) activities of the blood serum and various organs (heart, liver and intestine), the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, EC 1.1.2.3), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT, EC 2.6.1.1), and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT, EC 2.6.1.2) activities of the blood serum, the adenosine triphosphatases (EC 3.6.1.3; Na+/K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase) activities of the erythrocyte plasma membrane and the catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) activity of the liver were examined throughout 96 h in adult carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) Two sublethal concentrations, 1.0 and 1.5 µg/l of deltamethrin, were used. All fish survived the experiment except one, in an aquarium containing 1.5 ppb of DM, which died after 72 h. The AChE specific activity was significantly inhibited in the heart and intestine after 96 h at both concentrations compared to that in the control animals (P〈0.05, Student'st-test), while there was no detectable difference between the two treatment. At the same time there was no detectable change in the liver. In the serum, the AChE activity almost remained unchanged; the only significant decrease could be measured after 96 h at 1.5 µg/l deltamethrin concentration. The blood glucose content exhibited interesting changes: after 24 h fish exposed at 1 µg/l DM seemed to be stressed, although this increase was not significant. When these fish became used to the new conditions (in practice this meant the presence of DM), the glucose level decreased, especially after 72 h. At the same time the control animals kept in similar circumstances showed a small insignificant decrease. Meanwhile fish in aquaria containing 1.5 µg/l DM reacted to the treatment with an increased blood glucose level after 48 h, and this did not change until the end of the treatment. The Na+/K+-ATPase activity decreased in a dose-dependant manner, while Mg2+-ATPase was less affected. A small increase in LDH level was observed, indicating damage of different muscle tissues. However, this phenomenon appeared only with the small dosage after 24 h (P〈0.05). It has to be mentioned that the individual values varied to a large extent among of the eight fish. The GOT activities of the serum increased during the treatment. However, significant changes were only expressed after 72 and 96 h at 1 µg/l DM concentrations (P〈0.01 andP〈0.05), and after a similar long treatment at the high dosage (P〈0.05, 72 and 96 h). The GPT did not change significantly in aquaria containing 1 µg/l DM. The only larger increase was measured after 96 h at 1.5 µg/l DM concentration (P〈0.05). The catalase activity in the liver of treated carp remained practically at the same level compared to that in control fish. All these changes (concerning the primary effects of this compound) demonstrate the effect of DM on different fish enzymes, at low concentrations under laboratory conditions, which might be useful in practice for biomonitoring using fish.