Neonatal sex hormones have 'organizational' effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of male rats

Sex hormones have activational effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in adulthood: For example, corticosterone release is influenced by gonadal status. These experiments investigated whether sex hormones have organizational effects on the HPA axis of male rats: Do sex hormones have relatively permanent effects on its development? In adults, both neonatal (neoGDX) and adult gonadectomy (adult GDX) resulted in elevated corticosterone (CORT) levels in response to stress compared to intact rats. Five days of testosterone propionate (TP) replacement was not as effective at attenuating CORT levels in neoGDX rats as in adult GDX rats. Neonatal GDX elevated corticosterone binding globulin (CBG) levels, whereas adult GDX was without effect. In Experiment 2 the effects of neonatal gonadectomy and neonatal treatment with either TP, estradiol benzoate (EB), or oil vehicle was examined. Despite 14 days of hormone replacement, neoGDX showed elevated CORT levels in response to stress compared to all other groups. A single neonatal dose of TP or EB in neoGDX rats eliminated the increased responsiveness. Neonatal TP and EB were without effect in sham-operated rats. Plasma CBG levels were elevated in neoGDX groups regardless of neonatal hormone treatment. Corticosteroid receptor binding levels were examined in various brain areas and the pituitary in two groups most different in their androgen experience: NeoGDX and shams that did not receive treatments as adults. NeoGDX had lower levels of glucocorticoid receptor, and higher levels of mineralocorticoid receptor binding in the pituitary. No other receptor differences were found. These experiments suggest that neonatal sex hormones influence the sensitivity of the HPA axis to sex hormones in adulthood and, thus, that they have organizational effects in addition to activational effects on HPA function.     

The revised Piper Fatigue Scale: psychometric evaluation in women with breast cancer

The population of retinal ganglion cells which project ipsilaterally in the brain was examined in the fat-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis crassicaudata, following injection of horseradish peroxidase into one optic tract. Retinae were examined as wholemounts and optic nerves as serial sections. In addition, visual fields were measured ophthalmoscopically. Ipsilaterally projecting ganglion cells were located temporal to a line which ran vertically through the middle of the area centralis and extended medially to define a ventrolateral crescent. Temporal to the naso-temporal division, a mean of 77% of ganglion cells projected ipsilaterally; these cells represented 20% of the total ganglion cell population. The magnitude and retinal location of the ipsilateral projection correlated with the extensive binocular field which measured 180 deg in the vertical (from 20 deg below the horizontal axis to 70 deg beyond the zenith) and 140 deg in horizontal meridian. Ipsilaterally projecting axons were restricted to the lateral third of the optic nerve along its length, sharing territory with contralaterally projecting axons.     

Propranolol serum levels during twenty-four hours

Propranolol serum levels during a 24-hr period were determined every 2 hr in 9 hospitalized patients with angina pectoris after oral administration of 40 mg of propranolol 3 times a day. After the first, second, and third tablets the mean maximum serum propranolol concentrations averaged 118 +/- 71 ng/ml, 134 +/- 97 ng/ml, and 118 +/- 94 ng/ml and the mean minimum concentrations averaged 21 +/- 18 ng/ml, 45 +/- 25 ng/ml, and 54 +/- 34 ng/ml (+/-SD), respectively. These data show a very wide inter- and intraindividual variation in serum propranolol levels. No relationship was found between serum level and blood pressure or dose (related to body weight).     

Ingestion of iron in sow''s faeces by piglets reared in farrowing crates with slotted floors

1. A spectrophotometric assay using rho-iodo-nitro-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride as the indicator was developed for splenic tissue in the goldfish Carassius auratus. 2. This technique permits a rapid test for the activities of the enzymes lactic dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase, and alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase which are indicative of the relative activities of various metabolic pathways.