Circadian rhythms of serum renin activity and serum corticosterone, prolactin, and aldosterone concentrations in the male rat on normal and low-sodium diets

To investigate the control of aldosterone secretion, non-stress levels of serum aldosterone, corticosterone, and prolactin, and renin activity were determined at 4-h intervals during 24-h light-dark cycles in adult male rats on regular and low-sodium diets. Circadian rhythms of plasma aldosterone, prolactin, and corticosterone concentrations and of serum renin activity were demonstrated during a regular sodium diet. When the rats were on a low-sodium diet, a circadian rhythm of serum corticosterone and aldosterone concentration was observed, but there was no circadian variation in serum renin activity or in serum prolactin concentration. Serum aldosterone concentration correlated with serum corticosterone concentration (r = 0.48) and serum renin activity (r = 0.36) during a low-sodium diet. Serum prolactin concentration did not correlate with serum aldosterone concentration or serum osmolality. These data are compatible with a role for renin and ACTH, but not for prolactin, in the modulation of aldosterone secretion in the rat.     

Breath monitoring in workers in contact with vapors of organic solvents

Large concentrations of solvents vapour were determined in occupational air. Individual monitor was effective in the assessment of personal exposure of workers to the solvents.     

Factors affecting the outcome of foetal hydrocephaly

In this study, the authors attempt to provide an account of the factors that affect the outcome of hydrocephaly in 26 foetuses. The hydrocephalus was related to a myelomeningocele in 35% of patients. Sixty-two percent of foetuses showed intra-uterine progression of their hydrocephalus and 50% were shunted postnatally. At a mean follow up of 2 years, the outcome was considered "fair" in 54% of patients. Our findings demonstrate that in foetal hydrocephaly a more favourable outcome is expected in patients with hydrocephalus which does not progress in utero, in whom the labour is not induced before 36 weeks of gestation, who are delivered vaginally weighing more than 2.5 kg and have a head circumference below the 95th centile and a CT cortical mantle thickness of 2 cm and more and who are treated by CSF shunting. The diagnosis of the foetal hydrocephaly at or before 28 weeks of gestation and the presence of a myelomeningocele did not affect the outcome significantly. Neurosurgeons are reminded to keep an open mind for infants with foetal hydrocephaly and to offer active treatment to patients with a potentially favourable outcome.     

The use of mountain air therapy for the correction of acid formation in patients with hypo- and hyperacidic syndromes

In a consecutive series of 326 patients with primary lung cancer, sarcoid reactions were observed in the regional lymph node or resected lung in 7 patients (2.2%). The average age of the 7 patients, 4 males and 3 females, was 54 years, range 45-70. All the patients underwent lobectomy. The sites in which sarcoid reactions were found were the regional lymph node (N) in 3 patients, the lung parenchyma (L) in 2, N and L in 1, and the tumor stroma in 1. The histologic types were adenocarcinoma in 4 patients, squamous cell carcinoma in 2, and small cell carcinoma in 1. Two patients died of recurrence and myocardial infarction, and five patients are alive, range 5-64 months. The patients with lung cancer complicating sarcoid reactions were significantly younger than the control group (p<0.01), and not significant in prognosis. We conclude that the complication of sarcoid reactions do not influence the prognosis, but that the sarcoid reactions may be a local reaction or resistance to cancer cells.