Pulmonary effects of chronic exposure to airborne cadmium

In haemoglobinometry grave errors are still being made even though an internationally accepted standardized method is available for the determination of the haemoglobin content of blood. Up to the present only haemiglobincyanide reference solutions have been available on a wide scale to check the measuring stage of the standardized haemiglobincyanide method. These reference solutions are shown to remain stable, under proper storage conditions, for more than 10 years. Concentrated haemoglobin solutions have become available recently, offering the possibility to control the dilution and conversion steps of the haemiglobincyanide method. Such a solution is shown to remain stable, under proper storage conditions, for at least a year. Using both haemiglobincyanide reference solutions and concentrated haemoglobin solutions, as well as having the possibility of checking the cyanide content of the reagent used, an acceptable intra-laboratory control program may now be set up.     

Self-esteem in alcoholics and nonalcoholics

Alcoholics scored lower on a test of self-esteem than did nonalcoholics, Alcoholics with lower self-esteem were found to be more willing to seek treatment than those with higher self-esteem.     

Acute reductions in serum testosterone levels by narcotics in the male rat: stereospecificity, blockade by naloxone and tolerance

The effects of a single injection of morphine (20 mg/kg) on serum testosterone levels were examined in the male rat. Within 2 hours after the morphine injection, testosterone levels were significantly lower than control levels. The decline in testosterone levels reached a maximum 4 hours after the administration of morphine, at which time testosterone levels were reduced by more than 85% with respect to controls. The ability of a large number of narcotics to depress serum testosterone levels, 4 hours after their administration, was also examined. All narcotics depressed testosterone levels significantly and their potency relative to morphine was comparable to that observed in several other preparations, such as the guinea-pig ileum and mouse vas deferens. The testosterone-depleting effects of the narcotics appear to represent specific narcotic effects since the (-)-isomers of the narcotics were considerably more potent than the (+)-isomers, naloxone competitively inhibited the effects of morphine on testosterone levels and tolerance developed to the testosterone-depleting effects of these drugs. Acute treatment with morphine also lowered serum luteinizing hormone levels, and this reduction preceded the fall in testosterone levels by 1 to 2 hours.     

Compensating changes in fertility and mortality

This paper illustrates a method of studying changes in vital rate schedules which have no effect on the intrinsic rate of population growth. These changes are described as compensating changes in fertility and mortality. The analysis proceeds from the discrete perspective of Leslie matrices, wherein the central idea is to establish the set of all compensating changes by identifying that class of Leslie matrices which possess the same positive eigenvalue, lambda1. A root-squaring technique is adapted for the purpose of estimating lambda1. Finally, a variety of compensating fertility and mortality changes is illustrated using data from Japan.     

Removal of HBSAg from blood in vitro. I. Effects of washing alone, glycerol addition and removal, and glycerolization, freezing, and washing

Red blood cells from HBSAg-positive blood were washed in the Fenwal Elutramatic, Haemonetics Processor 15, or the IBM Blood Processor with sodium chloride solutions, or in the Huggins Cytoglomerator with sugar solutions. The Fenwal Elutramatic and IBM Blood Processor were the most efficient washing systems, the Haemonetics Processor 15 was less efficient, and the Huggins Cytoglomerator was the least efficient in removing the HBSAg. Washing to remove the HBSAg from red blood cells containing 40 per cent W/V glycerol in an ionic medium was more efficient than washing HBSAg from liquid-stored red blood cells or red blood cells containing 20 per cent W/V glycerol. The original and modified dilution/agglomeration wash cycles used in the Huggins Cytoglomerator were not able to remove the HBSAg from units of blood that were radioimmune assay (RIA) positive and counterelectrophoresis (CEP) negative. Freezing had no effect on the removal of the HBSAg in vitro, whereas the concentration of 40 per cent W/V glycerol in the red blood cells that were washed did. HBSAg was not found in the amorphous debris remaining in the polycarbonate disposable bowl used in the Haemonetics Processor 15 or in the microaggregates remaining in washed red blood cells.     

The effects of tolbutamide on the myocardium in experimental diabetes

The effects of chronic tolbutamide treatment were examined in a diabetic animal model in which abnormal myocardial function and composition have previously been demonstrated. Eight diabetic dogs were given tolbutamide 250 mg/day orally and compared with seven untreated diabetics, five healthy dogs receiving tolbutamide, and eight normal controls. After one year, resting hemodynamic studies in the intact anesthetized state showed that treated diabetic dogs had a significantly higher left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of 12.1+/-1.3 mm Hg associated with normal end-diastolic volume, compared to 6.1+/-0.8 mm Hg in untreated diabetics (P less than 0.01) and 6.3+/-0.5 in normals. Stroke work and ejection fraction were similar to normals. Acute volume expansion revealed a larger rise of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in treated and untreated diabetics than normals, without a significant stroke volume response in treated diabetics. Enhanced stiffness of myocardium appeared to be related to interstitial accumulation of periodic acid-Schiff staining material, further intensified in treated diabetics by triglyceride accumulation observed on electron microscopy and by chemical analysis. Thus treatment of diabetes with tolbutamide, despite improved glucose tolerance, effected further reduction of left ventricular function and altered morphology of myocardium.     

Synovial-type (group II) phospholipase A2 human seminal plasma

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was analysed in seminal plasma of fertile, subfertile, and vasectomized men as well as in prostatic secretion and tissue. Immunological cross-reactivity was observed between synovial-type PLA2 antiserum and the enzyme present in seminal plasma. There was a highly significant correlation between the concentration of the synovial-type PLA2, as measured by a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay and the catalytic activity of the PLA2. The results show that the PLA2 content in human seminal plasma is very high (approximately 1000 times of that present in blood plasma) and that the enzyme belongs to the synovial-type group II phospholipase A2. The results also indicate that the enzyme is secreted by the prostate.     

Astrocytes in the aged rat spinal cord fail to increase GFAP mRNA following sciatic nerve axotomy

We have expanded the original Glucocorticoid Receptor Resource (GRR) database to include several individual resources as part of a larger project called the Nuclear Receptor Resource (NRR). In addition to the GRR, the NRR currently features the Thyroid Hormone Receptor Resource, the Androgen Receptor Resource, the Mineralocorticoid Receptor Resource, the Vitamin D Receptor Resource, and the Steroid Receptor Associated Proteins Resource. The goal of the NRR project is to provide a comprehensive resource for information on the nuclear receptor superfamily, and to provide a forum for the dissemination and discussion of both published and unpublished material on these proteins. Although the individual resources are managed from different servers, all the files are integrated and can be accessed through the project's Home Page, housed at http://nrr. georgetown.edu/nrr.html. In the near future, we hope to expand the project to contain information on other nuclear receptors and to better our electronic publication system. To accomplish this, we encourage the involvement of nuclear receptor investigators in the NRR.