Association between PCBs and lower embryonic weight in black-crowned night herons in San Francisco Bay

Reproductive problems, including congenital malformations, reduced hatching success, and decreased survival of hatchlings, have been observed in colonial-nesting water birds at the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (SFBNWR). Twenty-four black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) eggs were collected from SFBNWR in 1983. Twelve of these were collected from separate nests when late-stage embryos were pipping, and an additional egg was randomly collected from each nest for organochlorine analysis. Overt anomalies and skeletal defects were not apparent. Embryonic weights (with partially absorbed yolk sacs removed) were 15% lower (p less than 0.05) in SFBNWR embryos compared to control embryos from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC). Crown-rump length and femur length were shorter for SFBNWR embryos. The geometric mean polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentration in SFBNWR eggs was 4.1 ppm wet weight, with a range of 0.8-52.0 ppm. A negative correlation (r = -0.61; p less than 0.05) existed between embryonic weight and log-transformed PCB residues in whole eggs collected from the same nest at SFBNWR, suggesting a possible impact of PCBs on embryonic growth. A correlation with embryonic weight did not occur for DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene] residues. Liver microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity was neither significantly elevated nor correlated with PCB, DDE, or PCB plus DDE log-transformed residues. It is unknown whether the apparent association between PCBs and lower weight is persistent through hatching.     

Social, functional, and neuropsychological determinants of the psychiatric symptoms of stroke patients receiving rehabilitation and living at home

In view of the strong evidence supporting the hypothesis that high Expressed Emotion of a key relative contributes to relapse in psychiatric patients, methods used in Expressed Emotion research were applied in an investigation of psychiatric disorder in stroke patients receiving hospital based rehabilitation and support. Patient mood in 37 stroke patients was related to the critical attitude of a key relative. Patient depression may also have been associated with severity of dysphasia, but no link was found between patient mood and the other measures of cognitive or physical deficit used in this study. Psychiatric distress in the key relative had a rather different causal basis. Relatives' psychiatric disorders were associated with physical burden, cognitive deficit, and severity of dysphasia. This study suggests that, when the patient is dependent for self-care, rehabilitation-assisted recovery may alleviate relative distress more than patient distress.     

Alpha-adrenoreceptor reagents. 4. Resolution of some potent selective prejunctional alpha 2-adrenoreceptor antagonists

The resolution of three 2-substituted derivatives of idazoxan is described. The enantiomers show large separations in activity in a variety of in vitro and in vivo tests, and the active isomers are all potent and selective antagonists at the alpha 2-adrenoreceptor. The significance of these results in relation to those published on the enantiomers of idazoxan and to those on optically active alpha 2-adrenoreceptor agonists is discussed.     

Paracetamol absorption from a feeding jejunostomy.

Disposition of paracetamol oral elixir was determined in two male patients after administration via feeding jejunostomy and compared with four male controls who received the same dose by mouth. Area under the plasma concentration-time curve, elimination half-life, and time to maximum concentration were similar in both groups after 650 mg paracetamol elixir. The absolute amounts and ratio of paracetamol glucuronide to sulphate, the major urinary metabolites after therapeutic paracetamol doses, were similar after jejunal administration as compared to oral administration. Paracetamol is absorbed and biotransformed in a similar manner after either jejunal or oral administration. Therefore, it may be administered effectively via jejunostomy tube in patients who require this route of administration.     

Cor triatriatum associated with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the coronary sinus: Echocardiographic and angiocardiographic features

Summary An infant girl is described who had cor triatriatum and partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection of the left pulmonary veins to the coronary sinus, the first report of this combination of lesions. The infant also had a Dandy-Walker malformation and multiple facial and intrathoracic hemangiomas. The cardiac diagnosis was made by two-dimensional echocardiography. Cardiac catheterization and angiography confirmed the findings and also demonstrated a persistent left superior vena cava draining to the coronary sinus. The infant underwent successful surgical repair. Partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection and left superior vena cava not infrequently are associated with cor triatriatum. Although two-dimensional echocardiography is sensitive for the detection of cor triatriatum, preoperative cardiac catheterization is necessary to identify unequivocally systemic and pulmonary venous connections.     

Suppression of rotavirus SA-11 reproduction by protease inhibitors in cell culture

The effect of proteases inhibitors, epsilon-amino-caproic acid and gordox, on reproduction of rotavirus SA-11 in MA-104 cells was studied by enzyme immunoassay. These inhibitors were shown to exert an inhibiting effect on rotavirus reproduction.