Organochlorine and mercury residues in the harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus)

Samples of blubber, liver, kidney and brain, obtained from 10 male, 6 female neonatal, and 4 lactating female harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus), were analysed for DDT, dieldrin, PCB, and total mercury. Methyl mercury levels in blood were also determined. Biocide deposition was not significantly different in female and male ten day old pups. There were no significant differences in biocide levels in the liver of the 14/+ day old males, but in blubber there were significant differences in dieldrin and DDT. There was no clear relationship between biocide levels in the 6-18 year old lactating adults and their pups. Younger adult seals (6 and 7 years) were found to have higher levels of PCB and sigmaDDT levels in their blubber than did older females (10 and 18 years). Wide intraspecific variation was noted in organochlorine and mercury residue levels. Pups taken in 1973 were found to have lower organochlorine residues than pups taken in the same area in 1971. Preliminary investigation indicates that detectable amounts of organochlorine and mercury residues are capable of crossing the placenta in the harp seal.     

The effects of VIP on intestinal motility: study on ex vivo perfused isolated canine jejunal loops

The effects of VIP on intestinal motility were studied on isolated canine jejunal loops ex vivo perfused at normothermia, under pulsatile flow with heparinized, oxygenated and nonrecirculated canine whole blood, by means of an intraluminal balloon. VIP was administered intraarterially either by 1 min injections or by long-time infusions. The results showed that for arterial concentrations of the polypeptide ranging between 25 pg/ml and 300-500 pg/ml a fast but short-lasting relaxant effect was observed. For higher concentrations VIP usually produced a biphasic response: The relaxant effect is followed by an increase of the basal muscular tone often accompanied, for concentrations higher than about 25 ng/ml, by a marked and transient increase in amplitude of the intestinal rhythmic contractions. During long-time infusions a biphasic response was also observed but both effects were of short duration. A cholingeric origin of the secondary contracting phase was expected but could not be demonstrated because, at blood concentrations at which atropine affected the biphasic response, not only was the contractile effect abolished but also the initial relaxing phase. It is suggested that the secondary contraction may be a "rebound excitation" of myogenic nature or a result of noncholingeric excitatory fiber stimulations. The short-lasting relaxant effect observed under the present experimental conditions, even during long-time infusion of the polypeptide, fails to argue for an important physiological role of VIP as an hormonal inhibitor of intestinal motility. The biphasic response, however, might have a physiological significance in so far as the aboral propulsion of the intestinal content requires a muscular inhibition which rapidly changes to contraction.     

Thyroid gland in dwarf mice: a stereological study

Stereological methods were used to compare thyroids of dwarf mice and of their heterozygote littermates. In the thyroid of dwarf mice unorganized cellular masses, adipous tissue and ultimobranchial cysts are abundant. Follicles are small and their distribution function is unimodal. The number of cells per follicle is considerably lowered if compared with the normal. In control mice the distribution function of thyroid follicles is bimodal. These data show that origin of the thyroid anomaly in dwarf mice is due to a drastic diminution of cell divisions, probably resulting from the lack of growth hormone.     

Haemodynamics and body fluid volumes in response to fluid loading in conscious dogs: non-excretory renal influences

1. Twelve conscious, chronically instrumented dogs were subjected to rapid loading with sodium chloride solution (150 mmol/1; saline) before and 1 day after bilateral nephrectomy (six dogs) or ureterocaval anastomosis (six dogs). Measurements were performed up to 3 h after the fluid load and included cardiac output with an electromagnetic flowmeter, mean arterial pressure and right atrial pressure with chronically implanted catheters, interstitial fluid pressure with a plastic capsule, heart rate, extracellular fluid volume, erythrocyte volume, plasma volume, plasma protein concentration and other variables. 2. The increase in cardiac output in response to saline load was significantly prolonged in the anephric dogs compared with those with uretero-caval anastomosis; mean arterial pressure, right atrial pressure and heart-rate changes were similar in both groups. 3. Plasma volume appeared to increase more in the anephric dogs than in those with uretero-caval anastomosis during the first hour after the infusion, although conflicting results were obtained with different estimates of plasma volume changes. Interstitial fluid pressure increased significantly less in the anephric dogs in the early stages of the fluid load. 4. Effective vascular compliance (the ratio of the change in blood volume to the change in right atrial pressure) appeared increased in the anephric dogs. On the other hand, the change in cardiac output for a given change in right atrial pressure was found to increase after bilateral nephrectomy. 5. It is suggested that the prolonged increase in cardiac output observed in anephric dogs was not the consequence of preferential plasma volume expansion nor of decreased venous compliance, but may reflect an alteration in the cardiac function curve.     

Gonadoblastoma: clinicopathologic correlation in six patients

Six patients with a total of nine gonadoblastomas are presented; three--and possibly a fourth--had dysgerminomatous overgrowth which was massive in two patients. Calcification detected by abdominal films was present in three sufficient for preoperative diagnosis. All patients were found to have a Y stem line on peripheral leukocyte chromosome cultures except one patient, who had a 46 XX/45 XO karyotype. She was found to have Y chromatin bodies in the germ cells of her tumor which was in a normal ovary found at exploration for an ectopic pregnancy. Three were found in virilized phenotypic females investigated for amenorrhea, and two for therapy of pelvic masses due to dysgerminomatous overgrowth. Y chromatin studies are reported on gonadal tissue.     

Craig-Scott orthosis: a biochemical and functional evaluation

The Craig-Scott double upright knee ankle orthosis was subjected to a biomechanical evaluation which included analysis of the force interaction with the supported limb and a functional evaluation. The results were compared with data previously determined from biomechanical evaluations of other common orthoses. In the Craig-Scott design, the single application of the knee stabilizing force below the knee concentrates this force in a relatively small bony area, sometimes exceeding tolerance. This might be avoided by using a tibial closure with patellar tendon bearing features. The design was found to produce relatively low anatomic knee shear. In functional aspects such as donning, doffing, transfers and ambulation, the orthosis is essentially equivalent to other double upright designs. The rigidity of the orthosis with only a tibial band closure and a bail connecting the uprights was determined to be adequate. The limited number of bands and closures provides some advantages in reduced donning and doffing time; however, in the absence of posterior closures below the knee, the orthosis had a tendency to slide forward off the leg when transferring. This disadvantage was eliminated by adding a soft posterior closure below the knee, which produced a minimal increase in donning and doffing times.     

Toxicity following methoxyflurane anaesthesia. IV. The role of obesity and the effect of low dose anaesthesia on fluoride metabolism and renal function

Seven obese and five normal weight patients were studied before, during and after one hour of methoxyflurane-nitrous oxide anaesthesia during peripheral surgical operations and compared with eight patients of normal weight anaesthetized with nitrous oxide-meperidine and d-tubocurare. Estimates were made of renal function, including serum and urinary electrolytes, osmolarity, uric acid, urea and creatinine. Renal clearances for the latter three substances were also calculated. Serum and urinary inorganic and organic fluoride concentrations were measured, as were renal clearances. This low dose methoxyflurane anaesthesia resulted only in a decrease in uric acid clearance among all the measures, when compared to the meperidine-nitrous oxide controls. The clearance of uric acid remained depressed for longer in the obese patients, but otherwise they did not differ from the normal weight patients. It is possible but not proven that depressed uric acid clearance may be related to the organic fluoride metabolite and an early indicator of methoxyflurane renal toxicity. The previously documented biotransformation of methoxyflurane was seen in this study. A double peak in serum inorganic fluoride was shown in all patients but one. Rather large differences in peak levels of serum inorganic fluoride occurred. The only significant difference between the obese and normal weight patients as far as fluoride metabolism was concerned was a greater variability in the serum inorganic fluoride levels in the obese patients. It would appear that the obese patient metabolizes methoxyflurane in a quantitatively if not qualitatively different fashion than the normal weight patient, perhaps because of fatty infiltration of the liver. Caution is advised in the use of methoxyflurane for more than 90 minutes of low concentration administration in view of the unpredictability of the biotransformation.