La. heart association increases study funds

              What happens to patients during open-heart surgery?
What causes rheumatic fever?
To what extent does hardening of the arteries change the rhythm of the heart beat?
These are a few of the questions that will be scientifically explored under research supported by the Louisiana Heart Association this year.
The association has appropriated $219,638 for its fiscal year beginning Friday for studies of the diseases of the heart and circulation.
Dr. Cyril T. Yancey of Monroe, LHA president, said that this record amount comprises 53 per cent of the association's 1960-61 budget, the group will also devote smaller sums to education and community service.
The appropriation for research and research training compares with $159,275 spent last year, which was 47 per cent of the 1959-60 budget.
RESEARCH GRANTS
The major portion of the 1960-61 funds—$97,869—will, be used :or 20 senior research grants-in-aids; Tulane university school of medicine, 10 grants; Louisiana State university school of medicine, six grants; Veterans Administration hospital, three grants, and Ochsner Foundation lospital, one grant.
"We believe the citizens of jie state can take real pride in these research activities," said Dr. Yancev.
"Louisiana in the next 11 months will continue to have s leading role in heart research as our citizens battle our nation's and Louisiana's most menacing   health   enemy."
CONTRIBUTIONS CITED
The LHA appropriated $79,00E for support of the national research program of the American Heart Association; $18,643 for student research fellowships, and $12,975 for J. Walter Libby research fellowships.
The association's budget is financed entirely by contributions from the public.
The grants and recipients are as follows:
At   Veterans   Administration   Hospital
Dr. Emanuel H. Bresler, assistant director, professional services for research, and Dr. John N. Bickers, chief resident in medicine, $4800 to investigate some of the factors in blood clotting which may be responsible for the closing off of blood vessels in various diseases.
Dr. Leo G. Horan. chief, cardiology section, $3710 to find out how the electrical signal for the heart beat is conducted from one set of heart chambers to the other set, especially in   certain   forms   of   heart   disease.
Dr.   Philip  Pizzolato,   assistant  chief,
clinical   laboratory,   $4755   to   study   to
what   extent   hardening  of  the  arteries
changes the rhythm of the heart beat.
At   Lousiana   State   Unversity
School of  Medicine
Dr. Mohammad Atik, assistant professor of surgery, $6000 to investigate kidney injuries caused by temporary interruption of the blood supply during certain operations.
Dr. Gerald S. Berenson, associate professor of medicine, and Dr. Arthur F. Fishkin, instructor in biochemistry and medicine, $12,646 to continue studies of the chemistry of connective tissues, including the heart and blood vessels, in relation to the development of  heart  disease.
Dr. C. Y. Bowers, assistant professor of medicine $8631 to continue a study of the way hormones move fats from fatty tissues into the blood of humans and- animals.
Dr. Richard L. Fowler, head of the department of pediatrics, $3100 to design and. construct a biopsy catheter, an instrument which will remove a segment of the inner lining of the heart in order to diagnose some obscure cases of heart disease.