Apollo 11: exposure of lower animals to lunar material.

Lunar material returned from the first manned landing on the moon was assayed for the presence of replicating agents possibly harmful to life on earth. Ten species of lower animals were exposed to lunar material for 28 days. No pathological effects attributable to contact with lunar material were detected.

Disseminated fibrin thromboembolism among neonates dying more than 48 hours after birth.

Of 119 neonates dying after 48 hours of life, 19 (16%) showed disseminated fibrin thromboembolism, a histological condition that is very similar to one form of maternal hypofibrinogenaemia. The incidence is nearly five times that among stillbirths and neonates dying within 48 hours of birth. Most of the mothers had a normal pregnancy, labour, and puerperium. One twin may show the condition while the other survives. It is suggested that the affected infants have either no fibrinolytic mechanism, a defective one, or one which for some unaccountable reason was not brought into action. The antecedent plasma fibrinogen level is likely to have been high in some cases, but a fatal outcome can ensue with normal or low levels. The process was considered to be totally responsible for death in six cases (5%) of the series. Renal tubular hyaline droplets apparently rich in haemoglobin were only encountered in one infant (no. 4) who died from massive bilateral adrenal haemorrhage. In the later part of the neonatal period, the process is liable to be indistinguishable clinically from secondary thrombotic processes, which occurred with almost the same incidence in the present series (14(12%) of 119 cases).

Further observations on inclusion-bearing cells in urinary sediment in infectious diseases.

A study of the cytology of the urinary sediment in 43 patients with known viral diseases has revealed a variety of inclusion-bearing cells in 28.The morphology of the cells suggest that the changes recorded may be due to the viral infections, at least in some instances, bearing in mind the findings of workers quoted in our 1964 report that cellular changes very similar to those induced by virus infections can be initiated by non-viral stimuli. Multinucleate giant cells are occasionally found in chickenpox, measles, herpes simplex infection, and in mumps.

Bone marrow in nine cases of clinical glandular fever and a review of the literature.

A review of the literature and the findings of a bone marrow examination in nine patients with glandular fever are reported. All marrows showed marked generalized hyperplasia of erythroid, myeloid, megakaryocytic, and reticulum cell elements with a greater or less ;shift to the left' in the first three cell groups. The hyperplasia was maximal in two cases. Another case (the index case which was responsible for initiating this study) showed extremely bizarre cytological features of all four elements, and from many fields in the marrow smears it would have been possible to make a diagnosis of malignant transformation of any of the four marrow components. All these changes had returned to near normality on repeat marrow examination 15 months later.

Adult pulmonary cytomegalic inclusion disease: report of a case.

A case is presented of pulmonary cytomegalic inclusion disease in adult. The condition was only diagnosed post mortem. A detailed description of the inclusions and inclusion-bearing cells is given. Histochemical observations which reveal an outer and inner zone to the intranuclear inclusion body are confirmed. Electron microscopy shows the viral basis of the infection. The morphology of the virus particles is compatible with a herpesvirus infection.

Pathology of five Scottish deaths from pneumonic illnesses acquired in Spain due to Legionnaires' disease agent.

The pathology and histology are reported of five Scots who died of severe pneumonic illnesses after holidays in Spain, three in 1973 and two in 1977. There is strong evidence in favour of all the deaths having been due to the newly discovered Legionnaires' disease (LD) agent. The agent (or its soluble antigen) has been visualised in sections of lung tissue by fluorescent-antibody tests in all cases, and the agent has been identified by the Dieterle silver staining method in small numbers in all cases. Serological testing was possible in three of the patients, and two had very high antibody titres against the LD agent. Apart from the extensive and severe nature of the pathological process there is no feature to distinguish pulmonary infection by this agent from that due to more commonly known bacteria capable of causing lobar pneumonia. The severity and extensive nature of the process is partly a reflection of neglect in seeking treatment until late in the infection, and partly a reflection, as revealed in retrospect, on the use of the wrong antibiotic combination during treatment. Erythromycin has been recommended by other workers as the drug of choice against the LD agent. Infection by this organism is not confined to the USA or to Spain and is indigenous also in the United Kingdom.

An outbreak of infantile gastroenteritis due to E. coli 0142.

Twelve cases of gastroenteritis caused by Escherichia coli 0142K86H6 are described. Ten of these cases were clearly involved in an outbreak of cross infection. The other two cases yielded interesting information on infection with E. coli. 0142. Five cases, two being fatal, required repeated intravenous infusion, and one further infant required parenteral replacement therapy on a single occasion only. Cross infection occurred at the primary site-a ward partitioned into cubicles-despite full barrier nursing techniques. Infection spread also to two other wards, and resulted from transfer of latently infected cases. Illness in several infants was protracted and debilitating because of the relapsing nature of the infection. The pathology of the two fatalities is reported briefly.

The histopathology and electron microscopy of a human monkeypox lesion.

The histological and electron microscopic findings from a solitary cutaneous monkeypox lesion taken post mortem from a child who died after a five-day illness are reported. This child is 44th in the WHO register of monkeypox cases. The lesion was at the papulonecrotic stage, with early evidence of vesiculation and minimal evidence of pustulation. Necrosis affected the stratum basale, the related basement membrane and adjacent areas of the dermal papillae at the centre of the lesion. Cell necrosis affected the next two or three layers of stratum spinosum above the destroyed stratum basale. Lateral to this zone, marked hyperplasia and intracellular oedema of the stratum spinosum constituted the papule and produced spindle-cell features. In the middle layer of the stratum spinosum, above the necrotic focus, there were minute vesicles and between these were occasional multinuclear giant cells. Bodies similar to Guarnieri bodies (GB) were present in the cytoplasm of sweat duct-lining cells in the epidermis and upper corium. Very scanty similar bodies were evident elsewhere in the papular epidermis but were difficult to distinguish from debris. Granules in the lesion with the same size as mature virions (elementary bodies) have been assessed not to be these because similar granules are present in the normal epidermis. Changes in the dermis apart from those mentioned above were minimal oedema, very mild perivascular infiltration by round cells and an occasional eosinophil. Electron microscopy showed abundant immature and mature orthopoxvirus particles in the cytoplasms of infected epidermal cells. A limited range of histochemical tests is detailed. In general, the features are indistinguishable from the papulonecrotic stage of smallpox (variola) and from tanapox as recorded in man.

A fourteen-year study to identify measles antigen in urine specimens by fluorescent-antibody methods.

Between 1965 and 1979 inclusive, 426 morning urine specimens from 410 patients admitted to hospital with the provisional diagnosis of measles were tested for measles antigen by fluorescent-antibody methods. One hundred and forty-two specimens (33.3 per cent) were positive. Of 74 patients who were clinically assessed not to have measles, 6/77 specimens (7.8 per cent) gave false positive results, and 71/77 (92.2 per cent) gave true negative results. Three hundred and forty-nine urine specimens were tested from 336 patients clinically judged to have had measles and 136 of these specimens (39 per cent) were positive. The positive rate was highest in a small number of specimens taken before the rash and next highest at the onset of the rash. The positive rate then fell; it rose again near the end of the first week, but the further increased positive rate after that time was associated with very small numbers of specimens. Of 12 child contacts of measles, 5/12 (41.67 per cent) had positive urine specimens and one of them developed measles two days after sampling. None of the seven patients with negative urine specimens developed measles. Measles antigen was detected in urine sediment by fluorescent-antibody tests in 39 per cent of the patients with measles studied.

The histopathology of enterovirus infections of new-born mice.

For 32 years we have provided a routine histopathological service on animals for the Regional Virus Laboratory, Ruchill Hospital, Glasgow. This article concerns mainly experimental coxsackievirus A, coxsackievirus B and echovirus infections in new-born mice. In addition to previously reported findings, we have sometimes observed degenerative and inflammatory changes in neurons related to the Gasserian, posterior root or autonomic ganglia. Not all deposits of brown fat are simultaneously the seat of inflammatory changes; rarely, inflammation of brown fat spills over into the adjacent yellow adipose or connective tissues. Brown fat may occasionally show hyperplasia. Ballooning of the tips of small intestinal villi with interstitial oedema and/or necrosis of villous tips may indicate enanthemata associated with coxsackievirus A2,5,7,8,10,23 as well as with coxsackievirus B1 and B4 infections. Similar appearances were seldom seen with echovirus infections. Focal bone-marrow necrosis and necrosis of cartilage were associated with one coxsackievirus A10 infection, and osteitis with one coxsackievirus B3 infection. The implications of these uncommon observations for human pathology remain to be determined.

Desmopressin acetate prophylaxis in a patient with hemophilia A: report of case.

Derivatives of an antidiuretic hormone raise factor VIII levels in patients with mild or moderate hemophilia A. This case report describes the use of desmo-pressin acetate to raise the factor VIII level in a patient with hemophilia A, before and after extraction of 27 teeth.

Volatile organic contaminants found in the habitable environment of the Space Shuttle: STS-26 to STS-55.

The health and performance of spacecraft crews can be adversely affected by contaminants present in the respirable air. Contaminants originate from hardware offgassing, crew and microbial metabolism, use of utility chemicals, leakage from fluid systems and payload experiments, and from electrical overheating. The quality of Shuttle air is measured by collecting contaminants in evacuated cylinders or on sorbent resin for later ground-based analysis by gas chromatography (GC) and GC mass spectrometry (MS). The results of those analyses are presented for 28 missions, including 5 Spacelabs which were flown in the payload bay of the Shuttle. The major contaminants were relatively nontoxic alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol), ketones (acetone, diacetone alcohol), alkanes, halocarbons (Halon 1301, Freon 113), and siloxanes. Occasionally, more toxic contaminants, such as methanol, acetaldehyde, and tetrachloroethene, were present at low concentrations (below 1 mg/m3). The contaminant concentrations measured in spacecraft air were compared to spacecraft maximum allowable concentrations (SMAC's) which are set to protect the crew from adverse health effects or performance decrements. Aggregate toxicity assessments (T values) of the contaminants present during each mission, calculated by summing the ratios of measured concentrations to each contaminant's SMAC, showed that air quality consistent met the criterion that the T value be less than 1.

Effects of prolonged weightlessness on the swimming pattern of fish aboard Skylab 3.

Two fingerling fish and 50 embryonated eggs of (Fundulus heteroclitus) were flown aboard Skylab 3 in a plastic bag aquarium. Videographic picutres were taken with the on-board color-TV camera on flight Days 3 and 22 and video tapes were made for later evaluation on the ground. When observed first after 3 d in orbital weightlessness, both fish swam in tight circles for a considerable fraction of the observed time resembling the "looping behavior" as observed in previous studies with goldfish in parabolic aircraft flight. The frequency of looping diminished slowly after the third day until normal swimming was prevalent. At flight Day 22, both fish swam normally with their backs turned toward the light source. Looping episodes could still be provoked at this time by gentle shaking of the bag aquarium. Of the fish eggs carried aboard, 96% hatched during the mission. The hatch fry displayed normal swimming behavior.

Air quality assessments for two recent Space Shuttle flights.

Degradation of air quality in the Space Shuttle environment through chemical contamination and high solid-particulate levels may affect crew performance and health. A comprehensive study of the Shuttle atmosphere was undertaken during the STS-40 (Spacelab Space Life Sciences 1) and STS-42 (Spacelab International Microgravity Laboratory 1) missions to determine the effectiveness of contaminant control procedures by measuring concentrations of volatile organic compounds and analyzing particulate matter trapped on air filters. Analysis of volatile contaminants showed that the air was toxicologically safe to breathe during both missions with the exception of one period during STS-40 when the Orbiter Refrigerator/Freezer was releasing noxious gases into the middeck. Chemical analyses of selected particles collected on air filters facilitated their positive identification. Trace amounts of rat hair and food particles were found in the STS-40 Spacelab filters; a trace amount of soilless plant-growth media was detected in the STS-42 Spacelab filter. The low levels of particles released from these Spacelab experiments indicate that containment measures were effective.

Dermoid cyst of the testis.

We present a case of testicular dermoid cyst in a 36 year old male. The relationship between this rare tumour and other differentiated teratomas is discussed.

Fatal haemolytic anaemia complicating a case of common variable hypogammaglobulinaemia.

A fatal case of common variable hypogammaglobulinaemia (CVH) is described. The patient presented with fulminant haemolytic anaemia. Post mortem examination revealed evidence of chronic hypogammaglobulinaemia.