Spectrum Of Causes Research Articles

Therapeutic implications of Hahnemann's theories on tumour development

The first paper of this trilogy 1 looked at Hahnemann's views on the hierarchy of causal factors that contribute to tumour development. The aim now is to discuss their implications concerning available therapies. Before pursuing this I will briefly summarize the hierarchy of causes of tumour development evident in Hahnemann's writings. At the most obvious physical level he refers to the influence of poor or inappropriate diet, inadequate drainage and chronic poisoning. Next he discusses the effect of processes that today would be described as repressed emotions or repressive ideas. Finally, his hierarchy refers to the role of a comprehensive understafiding and volition or initiation. In other words, he surveys a spectrum of causes ranging from basic physical determinants, through psychological vectors to subtle and not easily understood levels of consciousness today sometimes described by such terms as collective understanding and free will. All these aspects, he argues, can contribute to the development of chronic diseases in general and tumours in particular. Similarly each aspect has a related therapeutic application. This paper will look at these concepts and related therapies in three stages. First, those with a physical emphasis, second those related particularly to psychological factors and, third, the ways in which therapy can emphasize the role of volition. Since it may be argued that a correct use of homoeopathic remedies and Iscador is relevant to all these aspects, they will be considered in a fourth and final section.

Identification of a third rhodopsin-like pigment in phototactic Halobacterium halobium.

Mutant Halobacterium halobium strains deficient in all previously reported rhodopsin-like pigments show phototaxis responses comparable to those of wild-type strains. Spectroscopic analysis reveals the presence of a third retinal-containing pigment in the cells and their membrane fractions. It undergoes a photoreaction cycle with a half-time of approximately equal to 1 sec at room temperature and at physiological light intensities the photostationary state of the pigment consists of two species, one absorbing in the 580- to 590-nm region and the other at 373 nm, both of which are photoactive. Illumination of the long-wavelength species generates the 373-nm intermediate, which upon photoexcitation reconverts to the long-wavelength form. Therefore, changes in the relative light intensities in the long- and short-wavelength regions of the visible spectrum cause opposing shifts in the photostationary state. The spectral sensitivity of this pigment correlates with the color-discriminating phototaxis sensitivities of this organism and strongly suggests that it is the sensory photoreceptor.

Osteonecrosis and Scintigraphic Evaluation

To the Editor.— The article Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head During Pregnancy contributes to the knowledge of this infrequent cause of osteonecrosis. I am, however, concerned that the authors' Fig 2 (the comparative hip scintigram) may have been unwittingly offered as the optimal noninvasive technique for demonstrating osteonecrosis of the hip. Cortical bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals (one of which was used to generate the image in the cited article) will localize in any osseous site of hyperperfusion or increased osteoblastic activity. Hence, cortical images are extremely sensitive but nonspecific and may represent a broad spectrum of causes. In the early stages of some bone diseases, roentgenographic studies may not detect, let alone differentiate, these disorders, eg, osteomyelitis, stress fracture, and osteonecrosis. In medullary osteonecrosis, cortical imaging may demonstrate either increased or decreased activity depending on the combination of vessels that are occluded. 1 Thus, the cortical image shown in the article is

Minoxidil in the treatment of refractory hypertension due to a spectrum of causes.

Minoxidil in combination with propranolol and diuretics was used in the treatment of 41 patients with severe refractory hypertension due to a spectrum of causes. These etiologies included essential hypertension, advanced renal failure, renovascular hypertension, and kidney transplant rejection. All patients had evidence of renal and cardiac damage prior to therapy and had failed to respond to all standard medications. The study included patients treated for periods of 3--42 months. Forty of the 41 patients responded most impressively to this therapy. Minoxidil was given in a dose of 7.5--40 mg daily. No tolerance to minoxidil was observed. Side effects were minimal. Three myocardial infarcts were observed. Two of these patients had had previous infarcts. One patient suffered a fatal cerebrovascular accident after he had deliberately stopped all medications. Nine patients showed sodium retention, which was easily controlled in 8 cases. Mild hirsutism was occasionally seen. Mean serum creatinine levels showed a slight decrease in the essential hypertension group after treatment. Best long-term results were seen in the essential hypertension and renovascular groups, although several cases with advanced renal disease and with kidney transplant rejection hypertension showed very impressive and encouraging outcomes.

Diagnostic aspects of neonatal ascites: report of 27 cases

Review of 27 cases of massive ascites found in the first month of life, usually immediately after delivery, revealed a broad spectrum of causes. Seven newborns had urinary ascites, five had bowel disease, three had cardiac arrhythmias, two had liver disease, and one each had toxoplasmosis, ovarian cyst, and chylous ascites. In seven cases the cause was never established. Physical examination, a planned sequence of radiologic examinations, and paracentesis for fluid analysis when necessary are the major steps in differential diagnosis. A systematic approach to the problem is proposed.

NEONATAL HYDRONEPHROSIS: 146 Cases

A review of 146 cases of hydroureteronephrosis discovered in the first month of life shows a remarkably broad spectrum of causes. Ureteropelvic junction obstruction, posterior urethral valves, and ectopic ureterocele together account for more than half of the cases. Early recognition, accurate radiologic delineation, and tissue-conserving therapy, including prompt relief of obstruction when present, will result in the best possible change for long term health.

Clinical approach to jaundice.

Jaundice, with and without hepatobiliary damage, has a wide spectrum of causes. In the initial evaluation, fractionation of the bilirubin facilitates differential diagnosis. Unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia most often is the result of pigment overload or Gilbert's disease. Most patients with jaundice seen by the clinician have underlying hepatobiliary disease. Liver biopsy usually establishes the etiology of hepatocellular forms of jaundice. In patients with cholestasis, visualization of the biliary tree by either transhepatic or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography provides the most direct means of differentiating mechanical biliary obstruction from intrahepatic cholestasis.

Plasticity effects in crack propagation

This paper describes experimental results of crack propagation studies in part-through crack specimens. Crack extension under cyclic loading is characterized during the loading cycle by the interaction of the crack with a surface wave. The surface wave signal contains information about the absolute crack length, changes in crack length, and the way the crack front opens and closes during cyclic loading. Simultaneously, compliance measurements have been carried out. The results of the experiments are as follows: 1. (1) Direct measurements of the crack depth as a function of the number of load cycles and of different holding times at various loads have been obtained. 2. (2) Going through the load cycles the surface wave signal displays a change in the ‘apparent’ crack depth vs. load. This is interpreted as crack closure at low load levels. 3. (3) Changes in the loading spectrum cause time dependent relaxation and retardation effects which are not only reflected in the crack growth rate but also in the crack closure behavior. The results are discussed in terms of Elber's model which suggests that internal residual strains are responsible for this crack closure.

FACTORS IN THE GENESIS OF BILE STASIS IN INFANCY

Forty-two of 340 infants dying before 3 months of age had bile stasis in the liver. Statistical comparison of these infants with 81 jaundiced infants and 217 with neither jaundice nor bile stasis demonstrated that bile stasis was associated with hepatitis, galactosemia, erythroblastosis fetalis, prematurity, esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula, duodenal atresia and lower small intestinal obstruction. High proportions of the infants with bile stasis also had one or more of: infection with gram-negative organisms, significant internal hemorrhage and dehydration. Infants with congenital heart disease were statistically unlikely to have either jaundice or bile stasis, and the transposition complex was associated with a lower incidence of jaundice than was the hypoplastic left heart complex. The data indicate that biochemical dysfunction of liver cells is a cause of bile stasis, as is duct obstruction, and suggest that disturbance of hepatic blood flow is also a causative factor. Statistically, bile stasis in the liver is associated with elevation of conjugated bilirubin in serum, and the causative factors listed are thus relevant to the genesis of the inspissated bile syndrome in infancy. The spectrum of causes of bile stasis in older children differs strikingly from that seen in young infants.