Higher Functional Capacity Research Articles

Early Post-Transplant Function of 33 Machine-Preserved Human Cadaveric Kidneys in Children

Thirty-three of 254 machine-preserved and transplanted human cadaveric kidneys were transplanted into children 16 years of age and younger (13%). Early post-transplant function was classified as F (immediate and continuing good function), FAR (immediate good function, then accelerated rejection), SF (slow initial function), and NF (nonfunction). Early function other than F for machine-preserved kidneys of good quality from perfusion data was considered likely to be due to recipient presensitization to donor transplant antigens. The incidence of F during first transplants of good quality was 78% for recipients 12 and under, 63% for recipients 13 to 16, and 42% for adult recipients. The incidence of F for second and third transplants for these age groups was 80%, 50%, and 21%. The predictability error of antibody-against-the-panel assays (10% or more) with respect to early transplant function of other than F class was 47% (4 of 9) for recipients 16 and younger and 17% (7 of 42) for adult recipients of first, second, and third transplants. Shorter pretransplant durations of hemodialysis and the frequent use of high functional capacity adult-donor kidneys for small pediatric-age recipients are suggested as major factors contributing to these recipient-age-related early post-transplant function responses.

Bureaucratic Development and Dominance: A New Test of The Imbalance Thesis

C OMPARATIVE politics and administration feature a continuing debate over the nature of the relationship between bureaucratic and political development. Some analysts contend that, since modern bureaucracy is a condition for societal modernization, a relatively high level of bureaucratic development in nations of the third world will facilitate political development. Others, however, argue that, because of their tendency to dominate other political institutions, bureaucracies of high functional capacity inhibit the prospects for political development in these nations.

Cardiopulmonary Effects of Progestational Agents in Emphysematous Rats

The experimental production of emphysema in growing rats was prevented by daily injections of progesterone or medroxyprogesterone. In the rat with ligation of the trachea, which received intratracheal injections of phytohemagglutinin, but no progestational agent, the following effects were observed after six weeks: (a) high functional residual capacity; (b) high percentage of air spaces in histological sections of the lung; (c) low cardiac output; (d) normal pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance; (e) extreme elevation of pulmonary arterial pressure in response to rapid infusion of saline; and (f) normal electrocardiographic pattern and normal thickness of ventricular walls examined at postmortem. The concurrent administration of progesterone or medroxyprogesterone prevented (a) and (b) but did not affect the other factors. Rats with tracheal occlusion alone had abnormally high levels of pulmonary arterial pressure associated with hypoxia and relieved by inhalation of high oxygen. These rats had not progressed to the stage of chronic cor pulmonale, although those under (e) above indicated some change in distensibility of the pulmonary blood vessels. The experimental production of emphysema in growing rats was prevented by daily injections of progesterone or medroxyprogesterone. In the rat with ligation of the trachea, which received intratracheal injections of phytohemagglutinin, but no progestational agent, the following effects were observed after six weeks: (a) high functional residual capacity; (b) high percentage of air spaces in histological sections of the lung; (c) low cardiac output; (d) normal pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance; (e) extreme elevation of pulmonary arterial pressure in response to rapid infusion of saline; and (f) normal electrocardiographic pattern and normal thickness of ventricular walls examined at postmortem. The concurrent administration of progesterone or medroxyprogesterone prevented (a) and (b) but did not affect the other factors. Rats with tracheal occlusion alone had abnormally high levels of pulmonary arterial pressure associated with hypoxia and relieved by inhalation of high oxygen. These rats had not progressed to the stage of chronic cor pulmonale, although those under (e) above indicated some change in distensibility of the pulmonary blood vessels.