[Treatment results of squint and incorrect fixation in infants]. / Wyniki leczenia zeza i nieprawidlowej fiksacji u niemowlat.

PURPOSE: Analysis of the results of medical examination and treatment of infants with squint and undeveloped fixation reflex, and with nystagmus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 215 babies with these distempers were classified to the treatment. The children were included into five prophylactic groups: group 1-66 babies with eccentric fixation and without squint or with periodic squint; group 2-60 babies with acentric fixation and with manifested convergent squint at a visual angle from 25 degrees to 45 degrees (average 35 degrees); group 3-55 babies with correct fixation and with manifested convergent squint at a visual angle from 25 degrees to 45 degrees (average 35 degrees), and with divergent squint at a visual angle from 5 degrees to 20 degrees (average 12.5 degrees); group 4-12 babies with correct fixation and with periodic squint; group 5-22 babies with nystagmus. The treatment consisted in wearing spherical and prismatic glasses strictly compensating the squint angle, and in the treatment of eccentric fixation with euthyscope irradiations. The babies with nystagmus were treated conservatively by prisms correcting head arrangement. RESULTS: Eventually the squint angle reduced and fixation reflex in part of all tested groups. In our opinion, the treatment of very small children by localisation method prisms is very useful.

[Treatment of infantile strabismus with eye movement disorders]. / Leczenie zezów wrodzonych z zaburzeniami ruchomosci oczu.

PURPOSE: Possibilities of application of localization method in the treatment of infantile strabismus in a very early period are presented. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors applied treatment with hypercorrective and compensating prisms in 17 children with infantile strabismus. The age of the children ranged from 0.5 to 5 years, mean age-1 year. All children were found to have no motility or limited motility of eyes toward the temples. Initially, the children's eyes were alternately occluded in prisms whose strength prevalently was 30-40 pr dptr before each eye, with base toward the temple. After 1-3 months motility of the eyes appeared. Next, glasses compensating the squint angle were worn, without covering the eyes, starting with 1/2 hour 3 times a day and gradually prolonging the wearing time. Hypercorrective prisms were further used with alternate occlusion of the eyes. RESULTS: In all children partial or complete correction of motility was achieved. Further treatment of strabismus followed the rules of the localization method.

Physiological suppression of superoxide dismutase deficiency in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Deficiency in superoxide dismutases results in pleiotropic effects including hypersensitivity to oxygen and amino acid auxotrophy. Various types of physiological suppressors of deficiency in cytosolic superoxide dismutase were isolated, whereas attempts to isolate suppressors of mitochondrial enzyme deficiency proved a failure. General characteristics of isolated suppressors are presented.

[Prevention of amblyopia by active production of the macular fixation reflex in infants]. / Zapobieganie niedowidzeniu na drodze czynnego wytwarzania plamkowego odruchu fiksacyjnego u niemowlqt.

Among 1455 examined babies aged 3 months the authors found a lack of normal fixation reflex in both eyes in 155 and in 52 in one eye only. In these eyes the parents applied 3 times a day an alternate occlusion of eyes or of the master eye only showing the babies interesting toys. After 2 weeks 83 babies showed normalization of fixation and after following 2 weeks of over described occlusion only 8 of them did not reveal a normal fixation reflex. These babies exhibited also a convergent squint. The pleoptic treatment by means of an euthyscope was installed, followed by normalization of the fixation reflex in 3. The rest of the patients was treated with spheroprismatic glasses by localization method.

Superoxide dismutase deficiency and the toxicity of the products of autooxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in yeast.

Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, deficient in cytosolic superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were used to study the role of various oxygen species in the process of lipid peroxidation in yeast cells. Lipid peroxidation does not occur normally in yeast, because this organism is unable to form fatty acids with more than one double bond, whereas under physiological conditions, only fatty acids with at least two double bonds undergo this process. The fatty acid content of cellular lipids was modified by growing the cells in anoxia in the presence of oleic or linolenic acid. Toxic effects of oxygen were observed almost exclusively in those cells of yeast mutants deficient in superoxide dismutase, which contain linolenic acid in cellular lipids. Hypersensitivity of the mutant cells, however, results mainly from toxic effects of the products of autooxidation of extracellular fatty acids. These facts suggest that superoxide dismutases are in some way involved in preventing toxic effects of the products of lipid peroxidation and to some extent prevent the process of lipid peroxidation.

Is hydroxyl radical generated by the Fenton reaction in vivo?

Yeast mutants deficient in activities of cytosolic superoxide dismutase and catalase A and T were exposed to four different kinds of oxygen stress. The response of the cells contradicts suggestions, that hydroxyl radical is formed in vivo through the Fenton reaction. The results suggest that superoxide radicals are directly responsible for cytotoxic effects of oxygen.

Catalase T deficient mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A method for the isolation of catalase T deficient mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is described. Ten mutants lacking catalase T and belonging to 5 complementation groups were isolated. CTT1 locus was identified as the structural gene for catalase T. It is under the control of CTT2, CTT3 and CTT4 loci.

The role of respiratory chain in paraquat toxicity in yeast.

Yeast respiratory deficient mutants are resistant to paraquat. Similar resistance is caused by lowering the respiration by physiological mechanisms, as well as by some inhibitors of electron transfer chain of mitochondria. Presented results suggest that the major contribution of mitochondria to overall toxicity of paraquat in yeast is a consequence of very low level of cytochrome P-450, and presumably its presumably its reductase in aerobic yeast cells. In mammalian cells this enzyme is considered as the most important factor involved in paraquat toxicity. Mitochondrial cytochromes seem to be the first targets of damaging effects of paraquat.

Characterization of two mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae deficient in coproporphyrinogen III oxidase activity.

Two new haem-deficient mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were isolated on the basis of their catalase deficiency. Mutant H11 accumulated and excreted coproporphyrin III and was completely deficient in haem; the cell-free extract had no coproporphyrinogen oxidase activity. Mutant H12 accumulated uroporphyrin to coproporphyrin III and excreted coproporphyrin III, and contained a small amount of haem; the cell-free extract had a residual coproporphyrinogen oxidase activity. The two mutations were allelic and the mutant phenotypes were under the control of a single, recessive nuclear gene.

Hemoprotein formation in yeast. VII. Genetic analysis of pleiotropic mutants affected in the response to glucose repression and anoxia.

Genetical analysis of three pleiotropic mutants with changed regulation of hemoprotein level was performed. It was proved that single recessive mutations cgr4, cas1 and cgh1 are responsible for simultaneous changes of catalase T, cytochrome c oxidase and of some other enzyme levels, in glucose repression conditions. Two mutations cgr4 and cas1, responsible for glucose resistance of hemoprotein formation in aerobic conditions enable also anaerobic synthesis of catalase T. Mutation cgh1 causing hypersensitivity of several respiratory enzymes to glucose repression is partly epistatic to cas1 and cgr4 mutations.

Primary and secondary immune response to measles vaccine strain.

The rates of primary and secondary cell-mediated immune responses and their correlation with humoral responses were estimated. Cell-mediated reactions were evaluated by the leucocyte migration inhibition test. No significant differences were found in the intensity of primary and secondary cellular responses. The cell-mediated response was not intensified by complete Freund adjuvant, which stimulated the humoral response. The kinetics of changes in cell-mediated reaction was comparable with that observed for other viruses.

Analysis of heme biosynthesis in catalase and cytochrome deficient yeast mutants.

Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, described as catalase and cytochromes deficient (Pachecka et al., 1974), have been analyzed for heme biosynthesis ability. Some enzymatic activities involved in protoheme synthesis were measured in acellular extracts, whereas whole cells were analyzed for cytochrome spectra and for possible accumulation of porphyrin synthesis intermediates. A good correlation was found between these in vitro and in vivo studies. Results show that two mutants were impaired in 5-aminolevulinate synthesis, two mutants were devoid of uroporphyrinogen I synthetase activity and one mutant presented defects in coproporphyrinogen III oxidase activity.

Haemoprotein formation in yeast. II. Isolation of catalase regulatory mutants.

A procedure was described for the isolation of mutants affected in the regulation of catalase activity. Two such mutants, cgr 1 and cgr 2 were obtained. Both of them show catalase activity that is resistant to repression by glucose, but is sensitive to anoxia to the same extent as the wild type.

Macromolecular synthesis during conjugation in yeast.

Morphological changes and synthesis of DNA, RNA and protein during conjugation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied. It was found that during conjugation distinct cell expansion and increase in the dry mass of the cell takes place. DNA synthesis is inhibited during mating while synthesis of RNA and protein is not affected. Conjugation of temperature sensitive mutant defective in elongation of DNA chain was normal both in permissive and restrictive temperature. Conjugation of mutants defective in the initiation of DNA synthesis or defective in RNA and protein synthesis was inhibited in restrictive temperature. The results obtained with temperature sensitive mutants suggest that RNA and protein synthesis is necessary for mating reaction while DNA synthesis is not required.