Search for dinucleon decay into kaons in Super-Kamiokande.

A search for the dinucleon decay pp → K+ K+ has been performed using 91.6 kton·yr data from Super-Kamiokande-I. This decay provides a sensitive probe of the R-parity-violating parameter λ112''. A boosted decision tree analysis found no signal candidates in the data. The expected background was 0.28±0.19 atmospheric neutrino induced events and the estimated signal detection efficiency was 12.6%±3.2%. A lower limit of 1.7×10(32) years has been placed on the partial lifetime of the decay O16 → C14K+ K+ at 90% C.L. A corresponding upper limit of 7.8×10(-9) has been placed on the parameter λ112''.

Search for Lorentz invariance and CPT violation with the MINOS far detector.

We searched for a sidereal modulation in the MINOS far detector neutrino rate. Such a signal would be a consequence of Lorentz and CPT violation as described by the standard-model extension framework. It also would be the first detection of a perturbative effect to conventional neutrino mass oscillations. We found no evidence for this sidereal signature, and the upper limits placed on the magnitudes of the Lorentz and CPT violating coefficients describing the theory are an improvement by factors of 20-510 over the current best limits found by using the MINOS near detector.

The human alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor: identification of a 420-kD cell surface glycoprotein specific for the activated conformation of alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Ligand affinity chromatography was used to purify a cell surface alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) receptor. Detergent extracts of human placenta were applied to an affinity matrix consisting of alpha 2M, previously reacted with methylamine, coupled to Sepharose. Elution with EDTA specifically released polypeptides with apparent molecular masses of 420 and 39 kD. In some preparations, small amounts of a 90-kD polypeptide were observed. The 420- and 39-kD polypeptides appear specific for the forms of alpha 2M activated by reaction with proteinases or methylamine and do not bind to an affinity matrix consisting of native alpha 2M coupled to Sepharose. Separation of these two polypeptides was accomplished by anion exchange chromatography, and binding activity was exclusively associated with the 420-kD polypeptide. The purified 420-kD protein binds to the conformationally altered forms of alpha 2M that are known to specifically interact with alpha 2M receptors and does not bind to native alpha 2M. Binding of the 420-kD polypeptide to immobilized wheat germ agglutinin indicates that this polypeptide is a glycoprotein. The cell surface localization of the 420-kD glycoprotein was confirmed by affinity chromatography of extracts from surface radioiodinated fibroblasts. These properties suggest that the 420-kD polypeptide is a cell surface receptor for the activated forms of alpha 2M.

A study of filicidal men.

Twelve filicidal men were examined on a forensic psychiatric service. The majority suffered from severe mental impairments due to psychosis, neurological disorders, substance abuse, or mental retardation. Most of the filicidal acts committed by these chronically impaired men resulted from isolated explosive behavior.

A study of 10 men charged with patricide.

The authors reviewed the records of 10 men charged with patricide, including one charged with double parricide, all of whom had been examined at the Forensic Psychiatry Service of Bellevue Hospital from 1970 to 1983. Prior psychoses were documented in all subjects; nine were referred to as delusional. Four perceived their fathers as having posed threats of physical or psychological annihilation to them, and five saw paternal threats to their manhood. The 10th man allegedly killed his father during a drunken brawl.

A study of 15 matricidal men.

The authors studied 15 men who committed matricide. The majority were diagnosed as having chronic schizophrenia and had been living alone with their mothers. Other diagnoses included substance-induced psychosis and impulse disorders. Specific psychodynamic and environmental factors can be identified for each diagnostic category. The authors conclude that the matricidal impulse evolves through successive stages of psychological development; therefore, the motives for matricide are varied and correlate with the level of psychological development or regression.

Campylobacter enteritis associated with unpasteurized milk.

Campylobacter fetus ss. jejuni has recently been recognized as a human enteric pathogen. Laboratory isolation has been hindered by its fastidious nature. Methods for recovery of this organism from stool culture and a specific serologic test are described. An outbreak is reported in which three members of the same family became simultaneously ill with fever, severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea. C. fetus ss. jejuni was recovered from stool specimens from all three. A fourfold increase in serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) titer to this organism was demonstrated in each patient. All three patients had been consuming unpasteurized milk from a cow whose feces were infected with C. fetus ss. jejuni.

Sleep: effects of d- and l-amphetamine in man and in rat.

Almost identical results are reported in man and in rat for the effects of the amphetamine isomers on polygraphically recorded sleep. In both species, dextro-amphetamine produces a significantly greater increase in waking time. In both species, the two isomers have equal effects in reducing desynchronized sleep time. These findings combined with other recent data suggest that dopamine plays a direct rolw in wakefulness while norepinephrine is related inversely to amolnts of desynchronized sleep.

Truamatic ophthalmoplegia: a complication of fractures of the zygomaticomaxillary complex. Review of etiology with report of an unusual case.

Ocular muscle imbalance is a common complication in fractures of the zygomaticomaxillary complex. Involvement can be direct; caused by entrapment of either the muscle or tendon in the fracture; or indirect, produced by central or peripheral damage to the cranial nerves supplying the muscles, massive orbital edema or hemorrhage. A case of complete paralysis of the extraocular muscles caused by a critical reduction of the size of the orbit as a result of fracture of the zygomaticomaxillary complex is described.

Search for proton decay via p-->e+pi0 and p-->micro+pi0 in a large water Cherenkov detector.

We have searched for proton decays via p-->e;{+}pi;{0} and p-->micro;{+}pi;{0} using data from a 91.7 kt.yr exposure of Super-Kamiokande-I and a 49.2 kt.yr exposure of Super-Kamiokande-II. No candidate events were observed with expected backgrounds induced by atmospheric neutrinos of 0.3 events for each decay mode. From these results, we set lower limits on the partial lifetime of 8.2 x 10;{33} and 6.6 x 10;{33} years at 90% confidence level for p-->e;{+}pi;{0} and p-->micro;{+}pi;{0} modes, respectively.

Measurement of atmospheric neutrino flux consistent with tau neutrino appearance.

A search for the appearance of tau neutrinos from nu(mu) <--> nu(tau) oscillations in the atmospheric neutrinos has been performed using 1489.2 days of atmospheric neutrino data from the Super-Kamiokande-I experiment. A best fit tau neutrino appearance signal of 138+/-48(stat)-32(+15)(syst) events is obtained with an expectation of 78+/-26(syst). The hypothesis of no tau neutrino appearance is disfavored by 2.4 sigma.

Neonatal adrenal hemorrhage presenting as scrotal hematoma.

A neonate with hemorrhage of the right adrenal gland who presented with bilateral scrotal masses is described. The difficulty in establishing the diagnosis and ruling out testicular torsion is outlined. The differential diagnosis of scrotal swelling is listed. Adrenal hemorrhage can produce hemoperitoneum but this case is unique in that hemoperitoneum was not associated with signs of peripheral circulatory insufficiency and/or abdominal distension, and was manifested only by bilateral scrotal hematomas. The implication of these findings is emphasized.

Link protein is ubiquitously expressed in non-cartilaginous tissues where it enhances and stabilizes the interaction of proteoglycans with hyaluronic acid.

Link protein (LP) is an abundant protein of cartilage which stabilizes the interaction of aggrecan with hyaluronic acid (HA). In this study we report that LP is also present in a large number of embryonic non-cartilaginous tissues. We demonstrate, using RNase protection experiments, that the coding region of the LP mRNAs isolated from these tissues is identical to that present in cartilage. Furthermore, we show that the LP mRNAs are translated in non-cartilaginous tissues by the identification of LP polypeptides with monoclonal antibody 4B6/A5 in Western blots. LP is localized in the extracellular matrix of the mesoderm along the entire digestive tract and in the dermis of the embryonic skin as revealed by immunofluorescence analysis. Investigations on the interactions between LP and proteoglycans from skin and proventriculus demonstrate that LP can enhance the binding of proteoglycans from these tissues to HA. In addition, we find that the same proteoglycans bound to HA in the presence of LP are always more resistant to competition by soluble HA than in the absence of LP. Our results suggest that LP is involved in the stabilization of extracellular matrices of a wide variety of non-cartilaginous tissues.

Growth, survival, and resistance of the Legionnaires' disease bacterium.

The Legionnaires' disease (LD) bacterium can now be readily cultured on artificial media. Studies were done to define the growth and survival of the LD bacterium in these media and ascertain its susceptibility to disinfecting agents. Growth-curve studies of the Philadelphia 1 strain using Mueller-Hinton broth with ferric pyrophosphate and L-cysteine (Feeley-Gorman broth) showed a lag phase of less than 24 h, a generation time of 3.8 h during the logarithmic phase, a plateau of 2 x 10(7) organisms per millilitre, and continued viability for as long as 110 d. Viability on chocolate agar with 1% hemoglobin and 2% IsoVitaleX added reached 150 d. This strain was susceptible to a variety of commonly recommended hospital and laboratory disinfectants, often in low concentrations. These investigations suggest that prolonged survival may occur in natural as well as artificial milieus and that low concentrations of phenolics, quaternary ammonium compounds, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, and hypochlorite could eradicate potential reservoirs for human infection.

Propionic acidaemia presenting with pancytopaenia in infancy.

A 2-month-old infant presented with vomiting, lethargy and pancytopaenia. She was found to have propionic acidaemia, and the activity of propionyl-CoA carboxylase in cultured fibroblasts was defective (McKusick 23200). Abnormal amounts of glycine, 3-hydroxypropionate, methylcitrate, tiglyglycine, propionylglycine, 2-methylacetoacetate, 2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-oxovalerate and 3-hydroxyvalerate were found in body fluids. It appears that the organic acidaemia leads to an inhibition in the maturation of cells in the bone marrow.

Campylobacter enteritis associated with canine infection.

Campylobacter fetus ss. jejuni has recently been recognised as a human enteric pathogen. Five cases of campylobacter enteritis are described. All five patients had abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Two of the five patients had bloody diarrhoea and relapses. All the patients had been in contact with young dogs which had had diarrhoea. Campylobacter fetus ss. jejuni was isolated from these dogs or from their litter-mates. Canine infection with Campylobacter fetus ss. jejuni may be an important source of infection causing diarrhoea in man.

Campylobacter enteritis: clinical and epidemiologic features.

Campylobacter fetus subspecies (ssp.) jejuni has been recently recognized to cause diarrheal disease in man. To assess its importance as an enteric pathogen, we prospectively studied 514 patients with diarrhea. Campylobacter fetus ssp. jejuni was isolated from the feces of 26 patients (5%) and seven of 11 of their symptomatic household contacts. This organism was isolated from the feces of only one of 18 asymptomatic household contacts and not at all from 157 other healthy persons. Seventeen of 20 patients from whom C. fetus ssp. jejuni was isolated from fecal culture showed at least a fourfold rise in specific IgG titers. Review of 35 cases of campylobacter enteritis identified a typical clinical syndrome with acute onset of diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and constitutional symptoms. Stool examination revealed blood in 60% and polymorphonuclear leukocytes in 78% of patients. Epidemiologic investigation strongly suggested an external source for the infection in 22 of 35 patients.

Limits on the neutrino magnetic moment using 1496 days of Super-Kamiokande-I solar neutrino data.

A search for a nonzero neutrino magnetic moment has been conducted using 1496 live days of solar neutrino data from Super-Kamiokande-I. Specifically, we searched for distortions to the energy spectrum of recoil electrons arising from magnetic scattering due to a nonzero neutrino magnetic moment. In the absence of a clear signal, we found micro(nu)