Rifting of the oceanic Azores Plateau with episodic volcanic activity.

Extension of the Azores Plateau along the Terceira Rift exposes a lava sequence on the steep northern flank of the Hirondelle Basin. Unlike typical tholeiitic basalts of oceanic plateaus, the 1.2 km vertical submarine stratigraphic profile reveals two successive compositionally distinct basanitic to alkali basaltic eruptive units. The lower unit is volumetrically more extensive with ~ 1060 m of the crustal profile forming between ~ 2.02 and ~ 1.66 Ma, followed by a second unit erupting the uppermost ~ 30 m of lavas in ~ 100 kyrs. The age of ~ 1.56 Ma of the youngest in-situ sample at the top of the profile implies that the 35 km-wide Hirondelle Basin opened after this time along normal faults. This rifting phase was followed by alkaline volcanism at D. João de Castro seamount in the basin center indicating episodic volcanic activity along the Terceira Rift. The mantle source compositions of the two lava units change towards less radiogenic Nd, Hf, and Pb isotope ratios. A change to less SiO2-undersaturated magmas may indicate increasing degrees of partial melting beneath D. João de Castro seamount, possibly caused by lithospheric thinning within the past 1.5 million years. Our results suggest that rifting of oceanic lithosphere alternates between magmatically and tectonically dominated phases.

Testing gene function early in the B cell lineage in mb1-cre mice.

The mb1 gene encodes the Ig-alpha signaling subunit of the B cell antigen receptor and is expressed exclusively in B cells beginning at the very early pro-B cell stage in the bone marrow. We examine here the efficacy of the mb1 gene as a host locus for cre recombinase expression in B cells. We show that by integrating a humanized cre recombinase into the mb1 locus we obtain extraordinarily efficient recombination of loxP sites in the B cell lineage. The results from a variety of reporter genes including the splicing factor SRp20 and the DNA methylase Dnmt1 suggest that mb1-cre is probably the best model so far described for pan-B cell-specific cre expression. The availability of a mouse line with efficient cre-mediated recombination at an early developmental stage in the B lineage provides an opportunity to study the role of various genes specifically in B cell development and function.

Theory application by school-based occupational therapists.

OBJECTIVES: Recent literature indicates that there is an inconsistent use of theory to guide clinical actions by occupational therapists, including those working in pediatrics. The purpose of this study was to describe school-based therapists' theory application by collecting information about what frames of reference they used and why. METHOD: Of the 72 school-based therapists in the mid-Atlantic states who agreed to respond to a questionnaire, 51 (70.8%) returned the questionnaire. Information about demographics, what frames of reference were used, and why they were used was obtained from the questionnaire. RESULTS: Respondents reported using a multitheoretical approach, with sensory integration theory and neurodevelopmental theory being the predominate frames of reference applied but not the only ones used. The frames of reference were used on the basis of several factors, including the children's needs and the respondent's education. CONCLUSION: Formal and continuing education seems to have a great effect on school-based occupational therapists as they develop their personal conceptual frameworks.

[Distribution pattern of chemicals in surface waters as a reflexion of entry pattern--heavy metals]. / Stoffmusterverteilung in Oberflächengewässern als Reflexion von Eintragsmustern--Schwermetalle.

The concentrations of the heavy metals lead, cadmium and mercury were measured in surface water samples of an industrialized city and its surroundings. All but one value of Cd (particular) were less than 0.5 microgram l-1, 30% of the lead (particular) values were less than 0.5 microgram l-1, 70% 0.5 ... 10 micrograms l-1, 86% of the total mercury less than 0.1 and 14% 0.1 ... 0.5 microgram l-1. By applying the differential-diagnostic assessment method it could be found that the highest values were found in the vicinity of a metal-using factory. On a sampling point near such an enterprise the part of particularly bound lead was very low, that means a recent input, whereas on another sampling point with a high total lead level 95% were particularly bound which refers to a continuous input.

Computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in cyanide poisoning.

A 29-year-old chemistry student took 50 ml of a 1% potassium cyanide solution (500 mg) in an attempted suicide. He became comatose, mydriatic, and was admitted to hospital in an apneic state. He woke up after 7 h and developed Parkinsonism in the following weeks. This regressed slowly during the 2 months after the poisoning apart from dysarthria, bradykinesia of the upper limbs, and very brisk monosynaptic reflexes. At 3 weeks after the intoxication, computerized tomography was largely normal, and there was CSF-dense hypodensity in both putamina after 5 months. Sharply delimited signal elevation in T2 corresponding to the two putamina was detected by magnetic resonance imaging 8 weeks and 5 months after ingestion of the poison.

[Value of oligoclonal IgG fractions in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood in neurologic diseases]. / Wertigkeit oligoklonaler IgG-Fraktionen in Liquor und Serum bei neurologischen Erkrankungen.

CSF and serum from 700 patients were analysed by isoelectric focusing (IEF). Oligoclonal bands in the high alkaline range were detected in 156 cases. Ninety-five patients were diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis (MS), 38 various CNS inflammatory disorders, 18 vascular, neoplastic or degenerative and 5 patients other neurological diseases. IEF was positive in 98% of clinically definite and 85% of clinically probable MS cases and was found to be more sensitive as compared to intrathecal IgG production and evoked potentials. Neither the presence of oligoclonal IgG nor the banding distribution pattern is specific for any disease. Further characterization may be obtained by immunofixation if the antigen is known.

[Diagnosis and therapy of Churg-Strauss allergic granulomatosis]. / Diagnose und Therapie der allergischen Granulomatose Churg-Strauss.

Three cases of allergic granulomatosis (Churg-Strauss syndrome) are reported. The patients all presented 2-10 years after the onset of pulmonary symptoms with a mononeuritis multiplex, accompanied by sharp pain in the extremities involved. In one patient, the neurological findings improved under treatment with corticoids and cyclophosphamide; the other two patients responded to treatment with thioguanine and cytarabine. In the first patient, the diagnosis was confirmed by a biopsy specimen of the sural nerve.

Cancer and dysplasia of cervix in relation to reduced lymphocytic cortisol metabolism-enhancing effect.

In previous studies we found that the plasma of carcinoma patients shows a reduced capacity to enhance lymphocytic cortisol metabolism. In the present study this capacity was assessed in the plasma of patients suffering from cervical carcinoma (Ce. Ca.) and of patients suffering from cervical dysplasia (Ce. Dis.) regarded as being at high risk to develop cancer. Known concentrations of human lymphocytes from healthy donors were incubated with cortisol in media containing 50% phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and 50% of one of the following additions: 1) homologous plasma (HP), 2) plasma from the patients being tested or from healthy controls, or 3) additional PBS. The cortisol conversion rate was measured and compared with that obtained with lymphocytes immersed in HP. Previous findings showed that the plasma of cancer patients has a mean metabolism-enhancing rate 62% of that obtained with HP. In the present study the results were as follows: Ce. Ca., 60%; Ce. Dis., 70%: controls, 93%. The percentage of "cancer-positive" results were as follows: Ce. Ca., 91%; Ce. Dis., 45%; controls, 25%.

Basal cell carcinomas, gastrointestinal carcinomas, and ulcerative colitis in relation to the disappearance of a plasma factor.

Our previous findings have shown that the plasma of cancer patients lacks a factor (LCMEF) that is characterized by its ability to enhance lymphocytic cortisol metabolism. In the present study we have examined whether this phenomenon also appears in patients suffering from basal cell carcinoma, a seldom metastasizing disease, and in patients with ulcerative colitis regarded to be at high risk of developing cancer. Known concentrations of human lymphocytes from healthy donors were incubated with cortisol in media containing 50% phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and 50% of one of the following additions: 1) homologous plasma, 2) plasma from the patients being tested, or 3) additional PBS. Previous findings showed that the plasma of cancer patients has a mean metabolism-enhancing rate of 62% of that obtained with homologous plasma. In the present work the results were as follows: basal cell carcinomas--98%, gastrointestinal carcinomas--63%, ulcerative colitis--95%, and healthy donors--90%. The results with regard to cancer patients show that lack of LCMEF does not characterize basal cell carcinoma and ulcerative colitis. Hence, it is possible that the disappearance of LCMEF 1) does not characterize ulcerative colitis as long as a malignant tumor does not appear and 2) does not characterize seldom metastasizing disease (basal cell carcinoma).