There are marked geographic differences in the incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM); for example, children in countries such as Finland are over 35 times more likely to develop IDDM than children in Japan. An understanding of the reasons for the geographic differences is likely to be important for understanding and, hopefully, preventing IDDM. There are problems, however, because of the lack of registries with adequate standardization. The major needs for the future studies include (1) to clarify the definition of IDDM for epidemiologic study, (2) to establish a standardized approach for IDDM registries, (3) to use registries to evaluate viral, immunologic, and genetic differences in order to explain differential risks across populations, and (4) to encourage the development of new population-based registries worldwide.

In developing heterotrophic microbial processes for producing hydrogen, greater emphasis must be placed on systems which not only generate protons and electrons, l~ut also on the capability of shunting electrons toward H 2 production rather than toward alternative reductive activities. Likewise, systems must be sought which actively carry out a reductive cleavage of water with active release of hydrogen. Photosynthetic systems need development study and more research is required for study of hydrogen production from symbionts. Genus I.Bacillus macerans (acetoethylicus) 386, 94

Two simultaneous fermentations were performed at 26 degrees C with simultaneous inocula using Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum. Fermentation 1 prevented the gas formed by the biomass from escaping the fermentor while 2 allowed the gas formed to escape. Fermentor 1 provided for the production of butanol, acetone, and ethanol, while when the H(2) formed was allowed to escape with fermentor 2, neither butanol nor acetone were produced. Ethanol was also formed in both fermentors and began along with the initial growth of biomass and continued until the fermentations were complete. Butanol and acetone production began after biomass growth had reached a maximum and began to subside. The butanol-acetone-ethanol millimolar yields and ratios were 38:1:14 respectively. The fermentor 2 results show that a yield of 2.1 L H(2), 93 or 370 mmol H(2)/mol glucose, was formed only during the growing stage of growth; neither butanol nor acetone were produced; ethanol was formed throughout the fermentation, reaching a yield of 15.2 mmolar. It appears that hydrogen gas is required for butanol production during the resting stage of growth.

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Dischargees from the State Mental Hospital were evaluated for traffic accidents and violation rates both before and after hospitalization and rates were matched to appropriate comparison groups that were not hospitalized. Rates were higher as a group than the matched comparison groups; however, some subgroups improved after discharge. Single-car accidents occurred almost solely in the hospitalized group. Other findings point to the need for more sophisticated programs to control death and (isability on the highway.