Attitudes toward aging and towards the needs of older people

In order to explore the underlying dimensionality of beliefs about aging, two sets of opinion statements (one dealing with general attitudes toward aging and the other with programmatic issues) were factor analyzed for two age groups: persons under 60 (N = 290) and persons 60 and older (N = 181). For the first set of social-psychological belief statements, a common factor structure was found for the two age groups. For the second set of programmatic statements, there was some communality between age groups, but most of the items loading on the factors tended to be age-specific. The belief structure of the older group was generally more complex and variegated than was the case with the younger group. Except where the items were personal relevance, positive and negative items tended to load on separate, unipolar factors.     

The effect of alkali halides and silver nitrate on the crystallization of silica powders

The effect of alkali halides on the crystallization of amorphous silica powders has been investigated. Normally crystallization does not occur below 1000°C, but in the presence of about 20% by weight of lithium chloride, -quartz forms within 2 h at 700°C. In the presence of sodium and potassium salts, -cristobalite forms at about 800 to 850°C. It appears that quartz is formed in the presence of the lithium salt because Li⁺ can enter the quartz lattice, whereas Na⁺ and K⁺ can penetrate the more expanded polymorphic form, cristobalite. It is possible that the cations are accompanied by oxide ions in all cases to maintain electrical neutrality. Limited penetration of the amorphous particles is sufficient to nucleate the new phase. Other properties of silica products treated with salts are reviewed.     

Changes of erythrocyte membrane lipids in ethanol induced hyperlipidemia (Zieve's syndrome) (author's transl)

In 11 patients with alcohol-induced hyperlipemia, of whom 6 showed a Zieve Syndrome increased phospholipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol were found in the red cells stromal. The gasliquid chromatographic analysis of the phospholipid fatty acids showed increased contents of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids C 16-C 18 smaller contents of longchain highly unsaturated fatty acids. The changes in the fatty acid pattern mainly occurred in patients with Zieve Syndrome and could be important for the mechanism of the hemolytic anemia. Theses findings could be in connexion with vitamin E deficiency.     

Hormone changes in relation to the time of fetal death after prostaglandin-induced abortion

The changes in unconjugated estradiol-17beta and estriol, progesterone and chorionic somatomammotropin (HCS) in peripheral plasma have been studied in 18 women at 30-minute intervals following intra-uterine prostaglandin E2 administration for therapeutic termination of second trimester pregnancy. The hormonal changes were related to the time of fetal death detected by the disappearance of fetal heart pulsations. Prostaglandin E2 was given by the intra-amniotic route with urea (5 patients) or with intravenous oxytocin (5 patients), or by the extra-amniotic route with intravenous oxytocin (8 patients). Fetal death occurred rapidly with intra-amniotic PGE2, but usually at a late stage with extra-amniotic PGE2. Three fetuses in the extra-amniotic group died at or just before abortion. A variety of fetal heart changes were noted and the time of fetal death did not appear to influence the time of abortion within each treatment subgroup. Estradiol and estriol showed a sligh but persistent fall over 24 hours prior to induction of abortion. A more rapid fall usually occurred after induction, with a consistent fall around the time of fetal death. Progesterone and HCS usually fell much less before and immediately after fetal death. A marked rise in estradiol sometimes occurred before fetal death, particularly in the intraamniotic PGE2 and urea subgroup. Estriol levels declined more rapidly before than after fetal death, whereas fetal death had less consistent effects on the other hormones. All hormones had usually fallen considerably at the time of abortion, and in some individuals marked fluctuations in hormone levels were seen.     

Testosterone and testosterone precursors in the spermatic vein and in the testicular tissue of old men. Reduced oxygen supply may explain the relative increase of testicular progesterone and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone content and production in old age

Testosterone and the testosterone precursors pregnenolone, progesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone, androstenedione, androstenediol and dehydroepiandrosterone were measured in the spermatic vein plasma and in the testicular tissue of young and old men. Testosterone and its precursors decreased in the testicular tissue of old men. However, progesterone and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone increased in relation to testosterone in the testicular tissue and in the spermatic vein of old men. It is assumed that these age-dependent changes are caused by an impaired oxygen supply of the ageing testes. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that the same changes in steroid pattern seen in old age can be observed under reduced oxygen supply in in vitro incubation experiments with testicular tissue.