[Illness and social status--the special case of neurodermatitis]. / Krankheit und soziale Lage--Sonderfall Neurodermitis.

Neither the prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children nor the magnitude of risk factors such as socioeconomic status or environmental pollution are well known in Germany. In cooperation with the public health service, we therefore carried out a cross-sectional study during a 1992 preschool examination in Hannover covering 4,219 children. Lifetime prevalence of atopic dermatitis was 10.5%; the range for prevalence in 49 districts of Hannover was 2.8-25.0%. The AD prevalence differed significantly between German and non-German children (12.4 vs. 2.1%) and among children from families of different socio-economic status (6.5% low; 18.1% high). Statistically significant associations between AD risk and social variables (family structure, nationality, socio-economic status, occupation) and the lack of definite associations with environmental factors support the hypothesis that life style may be an important risk factor for atopic dermatitis.

Effects of spinal cord temperature on the generation and transmission of temperature signals in the goat.

A series of 38 experiments were performed in five conscious goats at air temperatures of +20 degrees C or +30 degrees C to see whether a temperature dependence of spinal cord signal transmission affects the relationships between body temperature and metabolic rate (MR) or respiratory evaporative heat loss (REHL). Prior to the experiments the animals received peridural thermodes to clamp the spinal cord temperature by perfusion temperatures of 31 degrees C, 38 degrees C or 43 degrees C (45 degrees C), carotid loops to clamp the brain temperature at 39 degrees C or 39.5 degrees C, and arteriovenous shunts to alter the trunk temperature and to determine thresholds and slopes of MR and REHL over trunk temperature. The trunk temperature thresholds, at which MR and REHL increased, were inversely related to the spinal cord temperature, thereby confirming previous observations on the generation of specific spinal temperature signals. The slopes at which MR rose below the threshold, increased with decreasing spinal cord temperature. The slopes of REHL over trunk temperature were independent of spinal cord temperature. Both observations are at variance with previously observed temperature effects on hypothalamic signal transmission and imply that temperature-dependent signal transmission at the spinal level cannot account for nonlinear interaction of various body temperatures in the control of MR and REHL.

Food avoidance learning is accompanied by synaptic attenuation in identified interneurons controlling feeding behavior in Pleurobranchaea.

Identified paracerebral feeding command interneurons (PCNs) in the brain of the mollusc Pleurobranchaea excite other identified PCNs by means of a chemical polysynaptic pathway whose efficacy is reduced by food avoidance training (conditionally paired food and electric shock). The purpose of the present study was to identify the neurons comprising this pathway and to localize learning-induced changes to single identified neurons. We found that associative training strongly attenuates or abolishes a unitary excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) at a single identified synapse in this polysynaptic pathway, but does not alter other synapses. The PCNs descend to the buccal ganglion, where they monosynaptically excite each member of a set of four identified neurons (two per hemiganglion) that belong to the corollary discharge population described previously. The strength of ascending and descending synapses involving identified PCNs is greatest ipsilaterally and is proportional to relative command efficacy established in previous studies. These findings suggest that command efficacy results directly from synaptic strength. The pair of corollary discharge neurons on each side of the buccal ganglion sends axons to the opposite side and thence up the contralateral cerebrobuccal connective to the brain. These neurons have therefore been termed the contralateral corollary discharge (CCD) neurons. Each CCD monosynaptically excites every PCN on both sides of the brain. Contralateral synaptic influences on identified PCNs are larger than ipsilateral ones. Each of the four identified CCD neurons is electrically coupled to all other members of the subset, including the contralateral homologue (based on simultaneous intracellular recording) and the ipsilateral partner (based on dye coupling). Hyperpolarizing a single CCD eliminates the polysynaptic response of PCNs to stimulation of other PCNs, whereas depolarizing a single CCD mimics the polysynaptic response. The CCD neurons are therefore necessary and sufficient to the polysynaptic response. Consistent with this role, the CCDs discharge in phase with the PCNs during the feeding motor program, and hyperpolarizing a CCD abolishes the cycle discharge of PCNs and weakens the feeding rhythm. Of the several reciprocal synapses identified between the PCNs and CCDs, only one was significantly altered by associative training in the food avoidance paradigm developed previously. This synapse, from the polysynaptic excitor (PSE) to the ipsilateral CCD, was also the strongest in this recurrent positive-feedback loop. In brains taken from conditioned specimens, the mean EPSP amplitude induced by a PSE action potential in ipsi

A simple and rapid method for postmortem radiographic investigation of lung fine structure.

Radiologic pathologic correlation of lung specimens requires a gas content identical to intravital conditions. Methods of air drying and formalin steam fixation are well known but time consuming. A new, rapid method is presented: the lungs are inflated with compressed air, frozen in liquid nitrogen, and cut into slices. Radiographs taken with soft tissue technique demonstrate structural details down to 200-300 mu. The excellent state of preservation also permits excellent quality of microscopic slides.

[Investigation of radiologic lung fine structure by freezing of inflated specimens in liquid nitrogen (author's transl)]. / Die röntgenologische Feinstruktur der Lunge. II. Gefrierhärtung isolieter Lungen in flüssigem Stickstoff.

Radiologic pathologic correlation of lung specimens requires a gas content identical to intravital conditions. Methods of air drying and formalin steam fixation are well known but time consuming. A new, quick method is presented: The lungs are inflated with compressed air, frozen in liquid nitrogen, and cut into slices. Radiographs taken in soft tissue technique will demonstrate structural details down to 200--300 mu. The excellent state of preservation enables unusual quality of microscopic slides, as well.

[Victimology of sexual crime. Examination of victims and the consequences for behavior, prophylaxis and therapy (author's transl)]. / Zur Viktimologie des Sexualverbrechens. Nachuntersuchungen der Opfer und Konsequenzen für Verhalten, Prophylaxe und Therapie.

Medico-legal and criminological examinations of 93 sexual crimes are reported. This figure comprises all the crimes which have become known to the police during a certain period in one region. It is suggested that the medical examination by confined to specific wards of the gynecological hospital so that psychological care can be provided and the customary criminological investigation methods be changed. For preventive reasons, a general expertise of the offenders and credibility examinations of victims and offenders seem to be called for in the absence of satisfactory evidence. Physical resistance on the part of the victim in the present cases led to a significant increase in the injury and death rate. How far traditional social views toward women favor sexual crime is discussed.