Transabdominal access to the thoracic aorta for aortofemoral bypass grafting.

When acute thrombosis of the abdominal aorta occurs in a comatose patient, direct examination of the intraabdominal organs becomes mandatory. Once a laparotomy has been performed, media calcinosis of the infrarenal aorta is a contraindication to its use as an inflow source. We describe a technique for exposing the thoracic aorta through the abdomen, which obviates the need for a thoracoabdominal incision in such critically ill patients.

Elective cholecystectomy and carcinoma of the gallbladder.

The incidence of carcinoma of the gallbladder has been reputed to be approximately 1.5 per cent among those who undergo surgery for chronic cholecystitis. The incidence at Cabrini Medical Center coincides rather well with that from other studies but has shown a marked decline, 21.5 per cent, within recent years. A report from the American Cancer Society projects an even greater decline to 0.65 per cent in the incidence of this almost incurable disease within the next 1-2 years. The decrease in the incidence of cancer of the gallbladder is attributed to the great increase in the performance of elective cholecystectomy for chronic cholecystitis among people 50 years of age or younger, before they have reached the age when carcinoma of the gallbladder is most prevalent. Early surgery is advocated not only as an effective and safe form of therapy but also as a valuable preventive measure.

Mycoplasma melaleucae sp. nov., a sterol-requiring mollicute from flowers of several tropical plants.

Three sterol-requiring mollicutes from floral surfaces of two tropical plant species (Melaleuca quinquenervia and Melaleuca decora) and a single isolate from a flower of the silk oak (Grevillea robusta) were serologically indistinguishable. Strain M1T (T = type strain), isolated from Melaleuca quinquenervia, was chosen for characterization. Light and electron microscopic observations of strain M1T revealed nonhelical, nonmotile, pleomorphic coccoid cells surrounded by a single cytoplasmic membrane. No evidence of a cell wall was observed. The organism grew well in SP-4 medium, but no sustained growth occurred in conventional mycoplasma media containing horse serum. The optimum temperature for growth was 23 degrees C, but multiplication occurred over a temperature range of 10 to 30 degrees C. Growth was not observed at temperatures above 30 degrees C. Strain M1T and related strains (strains M5, M10, and SO1) catabolized glucose but hydrolyzed neither arginine nor urea. The size of the strain M1T genome was about 561 megadaltons, while the guanine-plus-cytosine content of the DNA was about 27.0 mol%. The organism was serologically unrelated to the type strains of the 80 previously recognized Mycoplasma species or to 18 other unclassified sterol-requiring strains cultivated from animal, plant, or insect sources. Recent sequencing studies of 16S rRNA demonstrated that strain M1T is a member of a clade that contains the type species of the genus Mycoplasma. Strain M1 (= ATCC 49191) is the type strain of Mycoplasma melaleucae sp. nov.

Presence of free arginine associated with susceptibility to lethal yellowing of palms.

Thin-layer chromatographic evaluations of the distribution patterns of 28 free amino acids and amines in the foliage of 18 species and cultivars of Palmae grown in Florida revealed that arginine was readily detected in susceptible palm types, but was absent or present at minimal detectable levels in resistant or immune palms. No apparent relationship could be discerned for any other amino acid as far as varietal resistance to lethal yellowing disease was concerned. Additional studies to verify this potential relationship by high-performance liquid chromatography are in progress. This information can be of value in breeding programs selecting for palm cultivars resistant to this disease. These data also suggest that the lethal yellowing mycoplasma-like organism may hydrolyze arginine.

Proposed subgroups of spiroplasmas of high guanine plus cytosine content, group IV.

The plant surface and insect-inhabiting spiroplasmas of group IV, unlike other spiroplasmas, have not been demonstrated to utilize arginine. They require cholesterol for growth, produce spots and films on some media, and do not hydrolize arbutin. Electrophoretic and serological comparisons of strains from North America and Europe indicate the existence of strain differences within group IV. This study provides evidence for the existence of three discrete subgroups, group IV-(1) represented by temperate American strains, group IV-(2) represented by subtropical American strain PPS1, and group IV-(3) represented by Mediterranean and French strains.

Spiroplasma apis, a new species from the honey-bee Apis mellifera.

Two spiroplasma strains (B31 and B39) recovered from diseased honey-bees (Apis mellifera) in southwestern France were similar in biochemical, serological and pathological properties. The organisms grew at 30 degrees C, required cholesterol for growth, fermented glucose, catabolized arginine and produced a film and spot reaction. The two spiroplasmas were serologically indistinguishable but were related to serogroup IV spiroplasmas, which had been previously isolated from flower surfaces and from insects. The isolates were distinct from the three previously established species of Spiroplasma and from other presently known serogroups. The G + C content of the DNA from strain B31 was 30 +/- 1 mol %. Both B31 and B39 strains were associated with a lethal infection ("May disease") of the honey-bee. On the basis of the characterization presented here, it is proposed that these spiroplasmal pathogens of bees and allied strains be classified as a new species, Spiroplasma apis, the type strain of which is B31 (ATCC 33834).

Antibiotic treatment for control of tree diseases associated with mycoplasma-like organisms.

Tetracycline-induced remission of the development of symptoms has been used as an aid in the diagnosis of plant diseases associated with mycoplasma-like organisms and, in a few cases, for field control of some tree diseases. Infusion and injection into the trunk are the most widely adopted methods for the treatment of trees with the antibiotic. Initial translocation of tetracycline in trees appears to occur in the xylem, but transfer to the phloem is a prerequisite for disease control. The duration of persistence of the antibiotic in tissues averages from one to four months, although the duration of remission may range from six months to three years. Precautions must be taken for the prevention of antibiotic residues in fruit and minimization of environmental exposure to the antibiotic.

Powder puff spiroplasma: A new epiphytic mycoplasma.

A spiroplasma (strain PPS1) isolated from healthy flowers ofCalliandra haematocephala in Florida has been found to be a member of a serogroup of the Spiroplasmataceae. It is distinct fromSpiroplasma citri and from other described spiroplasmas as determined by growth inhibition, fluorescent antibody, and ELISA serological tests. PPS1 was also distinguished fromS. citri and several other spiroplasmas by the guanine + cytosine content of its DNA. PPS1 requires sterol for growth, is inhibited by digitonin, grows at 20-30°C, and does not hydrolyze arginine or urea. The ready isolation of this and similar organisms from surfaces of healthy plants emphasizes that caution should be exercised in attempts to isolate cell wall-less prokaryotes from the interior of diseased plants. Although some strains of spiroplasmas are known as insect pathogens in nature, the ecological role(s) of the flower-inhabiting spiroplasmas has yet to be fully determined.

Long-term results with forty-five living related renal allograft recipients genotypically identical for HLA.

During the past decade 45 living related renal allografts have been performed between siblings genotypically identical for HLA. In each case all available family members were serotyped and haplotype analysis was performed. Immunosuppressive therapy consisted of standard azathioprine and prednisone regimens. Only one instance of HLA-D incompatibility was documented. HLA-A, -B haplotypes were identical in each case. Histopathological evaluation by light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy was completed. Four patients experienced acute cellular rejection with mild long-term impaired renal function. Five patients had acute cellular rejection but subsequently experienced long-term normal renal function. Twenty-three patients had little or no rejection documented and half of these patients are being maintained without steroid therapy. Five patients had histologically proven acute humoral rejection and, of these, three subsequently lost their allografts whereas two regained relatively normal renal function. Recurrent glomerulonephritis was documented in six cases. One was lobular, one crescentic, and one dense-deposit membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Three cases of IgA nephropathy were diagnosed. In each case the recurrent glomerulonephritis reflected the same histopathology and clinical course as the disease realized in the host kidneys. Eighty-seven percent of the 40 surviving patients have been rehabilitated completely and are fully employed.

Personal concerns and manifest anxiety in black students.

The areas and magnitude of personal problems and their relationships with manifest anxiety were investigated in 154 male and 202 female black undergraduate students in a predominantly black state university in the South. Both males and females were highly concerned over problems in college work, finance, living conditions, and employment, social and recreational activities, and curriculum and teaching procedure. A significant sex difference at the .05 level was evidenced by the Mann-Whitney U test. Significant positive correlations were found between the number of problems and anxiety scores in 9 areas for males and in all 11 areas for females. Two problem areas that did not correlate significantly with anxiety scores for males were social and recreational activities and home and family.