The Opaque-2 (O2) gene from maize encodes a transcriptional activator of the b-ZIP class. We have isolated and characterized a gene from sorghum, related in sequence to the O2 gene from maize. A single copy of the gene is present in sorghum. Both genomic and cDNA sequences of the O2-related sorghum gene were determined. The sequence is highly homologous to maize O2 both in the promoter and in the coding region. The most closely related sequences contain the b-ZIP domain with only 11 amino acid substitutions in a total of 122 residues. In transient expression assays, the sorghum O2-related coding sequence, expressed from a CaMV 35S promoter, activates expression from the maize b-32 promoter as effectively as that obtained with the maize O2 sequence.

A case is presented of sciatic palsy developing after total hip arthroplasty in a patient receiving a continuous lumbar plexus block. The case highlights various issues in the use of continuous peripheral nerve blocks for postoperative analgesia.

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The indications for pleural decortication have been reviewed in relation to the postoperative results in 66 patients with pulmonary and pleural tuberculosis, and in 3 patients with traumatic hemothorax.The first consideration before a decortication is performed is to control the infection and proper management of the bronchopleural fistula, if present.The best indication is a decrease of function of the affected lung. In this respect restrictive disease characterized by a vital capacity of 70 % of the predicted or less constituted a good indication for decortication, this opinion is reinforced by finding a reduction of the vital capacity of the compressed lung more marked than the decrease in ventilation.These objective findings were accompanied frequently by an oppressive feeling in the affected hemithorax which was relieved by the operation. The results from decortication were better in patients with shorter duration of pulmonary compression, however, if the resting regional lung function studies such as radioisotopes and bronchospirometry demonstrate a very marked reduction of ventilation and perfusion in the affected lung, the studies should be repeated during exercise and or lateral decubitus to find out if there is an increment of function over the resting values. During exercise only differential spirometry and scintigraphy can be used. If differential spirometry can not be performed, examination with inhaled radioisotopes and or particles can provide information about the function of each lung.Other indication for decortication is to fill a residual pleural space secondary to infectious pleural disease. When the pleural disease is secondary to malignancy, decortication is not a suitable procedure and similar results can be achieved by placement of an intrapleural tube with suction.Decortication is contraindicated if the lung is not capable of reexpansion, this condition can be determined by regional lung function studies such as differential spirometry, gammagraphy, and angiocardiography.