The effects of anesthesia on the excretion of an isotonic saline load in the rat

The ability to excrete a volume of isotonic saline equal to 10% of body weight infused over 60 min, was examined in awake rats and in rats anesthetized with 1 of the 2 agents most commonly used in renal clearance studies, Inactin or Nembutal. Rats anesthetized with Inactin excreted significantly less of the infused sodium during the period of infusion and in the 120-min post-infusion periods as compared to Nembutal-anesthetized rats or awake rats. Following saline infusion, there was a significantly greater decrease in serum protein concentration (25.5±4.7%) in rats anesthetized with Inactin, compared to that observed in the awake or Nembutal-treated rats. In a separate group of saline-infused awake rats, induction of anesthesia with Inactin resulted in a significant increase in hematocrit and a decrease in serum protein concentration. These studies suggest that Inactin anesthesia decreases the ability of the kidney to excrete a saline load and that, in studies of sodium excretion in the rat, especially if volume expansion is to be part of the experimental protocol, Nembutal rather than Inactin may be the anesthetic of choice.These studies were performed while Drs. Knight and Frankfurt were Fellows in Nephrology of Baylor College of Medicine, and were supported in part by a Clinical Investigatorship award to Dr. Weinman and an Associate Investigatorship award to Dr. Frankfurt from the Veterans Administration. This work was presented in part at the Combined Session, Southern Section, American Federation for Clinical Research and the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 27–29, 1977, and has appeared in abstract form in Clin. Res.25, 61 A (1977)     

Calibration of Earphone-Transmitted Sounds

The intensity of acoustic stimulation is frequently a variable of interest in psychophysiological studies but calibration procedures, particularly when earphones are employed, are not always adequate. The present study demonstrates that intensity is underestimated, more seriously at low frequencies, when calibration does not employ an appropriate coupler. Several standardized calibration methods are discussed in terms of their suitability For routine laboratory use.     

Gestational Women’s Perceptions About the Harms of Cigarette and E-Cigarette Use During Pregnancy

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to examine differences between perceived harm of cigarette and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use while pregnant and differences between healthcare providers’ communication about these products during pregnancy.

Methods

A convenience sample of gestational women (n?=?218; ages 18–45) living in the US completed an online survey between May and December 2017. Participants reported perceived likelihood of adverse health outcomes (e.g., low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome) among infants/children born to mothers who used cigarettes/e-cigarettes. T-tests and two-way ANOVAs examined differences between risk perceptions of using cigarettes/e-cigarettes while pregnant based on pregnancy status (previously pregnant, currently pregnant, future pregnant). Chi-square analyses examined differences between healthcare provider communication about cigarette/e-cigarette use during pregnancy.

Results

Overall, participants believed adverse health outcomes were significantly more likely to be caused by maternal use of cigarettes than e-cigarettes. Participants who planned to be pregnant reported higher endorsement that smoking combustible cigarettes would cause a miscarriage (p?<?.05) or increased blood pressure (p?<?.05) for a child than currently pregnant participants. Participants reported healthcare providers asked about (p?<?.05), advised them not to use (p?<?.001), and talked to them about health effects of smoking combustible cigarettes while pregnant (p?<?.001) significantly more than e-cigarettes.

Conclusions for Practice

Healthcare providers working with pregnant women should perform the 5As behavioral intervention method to provide pregnant women with tobacco cessation care. They should also discuss the absolute harm nicotine exposure (via cigarettes or e-cigarettes) can have on fetal health and development.

     

A clinical comparison of indices of pulmonary gas exchange with changes in the inspired oxygen concentration

Several indices have been introduced as convenient alternatives to calculation of the physiological shunt fraction (Qs/QT) for the assessment of pulmonary gas exchange. These include: the arterial-alveolar oxygen tension ratio (a/APO2), the arterial oxygen tension-inspired oxygen concentration ratio (PaO2/FIO2), the respiratory index (RI), [A-a)DO2/PaO2) and the alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference [A-a)Do2). These indices are in use clinically despite the fact that they may not accurately predict gas exchange in situations where FIO2, Qs/QT or arterial-venous oxygen content is changing. The clinical stability of each of these indices, relative to the behaviour of the physiological shunt, was therefore investigated prospectively in ten mechanically ventilated postoperative adults as FIO2 was varied from 0.30 to 1.00. None of the indices studied reliably reflected the behaviour of the physiological shunt. As FIO2 was increased incrementally from 0.30 to 1.00, 42 to 55 per cent of the measured changes in these indices were opposite in direction to the corresponding changes in the physiological shunt. The maximum magnitudes of the opposite changes were substantial; 24 and 22 per cent for the a/APO2 and PaO2/FIO2 ratio respectively, 67 per cent for the RI and 101 per cent for the (A-a)DO2. We conclude that the use of any of these indices for clinical assessment of a patient's gas exchange defect when FIO2 is varying can be substantially misleading.     

Genotypic and phenotypic alterations of p53 in head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma

p53 is the most frequently altered suppressor gene in human cancers. The genotypic and corresponding phenotypic abnormalities of this gene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain undefined. We analyzed the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) at three polymorphic loci in the p53 gene and performed immunohistochemistry (MC) for its protein on paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from 20 previously sequenced tumor specimens. LOH was noted at one or more of the three polymorphic sites within the p53 gene in 12 (67%) of the 18 informative samples. Concordance between LOH and mutations was observed in 14 (78%) cases. Twelve (60%) tumors with point mutations were immunohistochemically reactive to p53 antibody and two (10%) lacked both genetic and immunohistochemical alterations. In six tumors (30%) contradictory results between immunohistochemistry and molecular analysis were observed. Our data indicate that: (i) simultaneous deletion and mutation of both p53 alleles was observed in the majority of head and neck squamous carcinomas and implicate this gene in the oncogenesis of these neoplasms, (ii) p53 immunohistochemical analysis may not fully account for the different molecular alterations of this gene, and (iii) no correlation between p53 abnormalities and clinicopathologic or DNA content characteristics of HNSCC was found.     

Abortion as “deviance”

Summary The paper focuses on the relationship between changing societal norms toward women's roles and actual, emotional acceptance of them for oneself, specifically as the norms relate to abortion and sexual behavior. Elective abortion still is regarded by many as a deviant activity. Such a view has sprung from an uncritical acceptance of the traditional role of women. The implications are that women who have abortions accept traditional norms for sexual behavior, in spite of their own sexual activity, and have a generally traditional view of women's roles. They are considered to behave stereotypically and to have failed. Traditional norms for women's roles have been challenged in recent years, however, especially by the feminist movement. The authors hypothesized that women who sought early abortions would tend to have feminist orientations. The paper is based on a study of 1598 women with problem pregnancies, part of a larger study conducted throughout Michigan during 1974–75. The women studied showed little lag in emotional acceptance of changing norms about women's roles. They indicated a non-traditional female role orientation, and seemed to see themselves as competent, selfdirected, and legitimately sexual persons. Most did not have any great conflict over the decision to have an abortion. The findings by and large substantiated the authors' hypotheses.This research is supported by Grant Number 1 RO 1 HD0773901, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Washington, D. C.     

Intergenerational change in sex behavior: A belated look at Kinsey's males

This article replicates for Kinsey's male sample the decade-of-birth analyses provided in the Kinsey female volume. Five generations of male respondents are compared in terms of total frequency of sexual activity, and frequency and incidence of nine specific categories of sexual behavior. In general, unmarried males born after 1900 experienced more frequent sexual outlet than did nineteenth-century males. Additionally, the proportion of total outlet devoted to various specific activities varied by birth decade. Solitary masturbation rose somewhat spectacularly in significance with the passing decades, while nocturnal emissions and animal contacts declined. Orgasms provided by heterosexual activities increased slightly for the early twentieth-century generations, but then declined to a point below their nineteenth-century levels. Although homosexual contacts accounted for a constant percentage of total outlet for unmarried males over the five generations, more males in each succeeding generation were actively engaging in homosexual activity, at least on a casual basis. Similarly, although heterosexual contacts accounted for a smaller percentage of all activity among the unmarried in later generations, more of the later-born males had engaged in such activity at least once. For married males, on the other hand, frequency of total outlet was unaffected by generation. A large and stable proportion of this outlet was provided by marital coitus. Although more males in later generations had experienced extramarital contacts, such activities accounted for a small and reasonably stable proportion of total outlet, when frequency of occurrence was considered. Masturbation gained in significance, while nocturnal emissions and homosexual contacts declined, and animal contacts among the married were almost nonexistent in all generations.     

A phase I trial of continuous-infusion cyclophosphamide in refractory cancer patients

Summary Cyclophosphamide demonstrates enhanced tumoricidal activity with decreased bone marrow toxicity when given on a divided-dose schedule in certain animal models. A total of 22 patients presenting with refractory metastatic cancer were treated in a phase I trial of continuous infusion of cyclophosphamide over 96 h. Granulocytopenia of <500/l that lasted for > 14 days or thrombocytopenia of <25,000/l that lasted for > 14 days was the target dose-limiting toxicity in the absence of nonhematologic grade 4 toxicity. The maximal tolerated dose was 7 g/m². Three patients died. Of 21 evaluable patients, 9 responded, including 8/9 who had experienced disease progression during prior oxazaphosphorine-containing combination chemotherapy. Clinically meaningful responses were observed in patients who had demonstrated clinical resistance to an oxazaphosphorine drug given at lower doses.Supported in part by U.S. Public Health Service grant P01CA-38493 and by a grant from the Mather's Foundation. Two of the authors (J. P. E. and A. D. E.) are recipients of Career Development awards from the American Cancer Society, and one (T. C. S.) is a recipient of a Faculty Development Award from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer's Association Foundation