Fractional reduction of somatostatin concentration interacted with rat growth hormone releasing hormone to titrate the magnitude of pulsatile growth hormone and prolactin release in perifusion

Growth hormone (GH) pulses in vivo are associated with increased hypothalamic portal growth hormone releasing hormone (GH-RH) concentration and can be prevented by GH-RH antisera. GH pulses are also associated with prior reduction of portal somatostatin (SRIF) concentrations, although SRIF antisera do not abolish GH pulses. In vitro, pulses of GH-RH as well as SRIF withdrawal are followed by pulses of GH release; the presence of GH-RH enhances post-SRIF GH release. We asked four questions: (1) During combined GHRH-SRIF exposure in vitro, must SRIF withdrawal be complete to produce a pulse of GH release, or is there a threshold diminution of SRIF which permits it? (2) When pulsatile GH release does occur, is it an all-or-none phenomenon, or is it titratable by fractional reduction of SRIF? (3) Does varying the GH-RH concentration while administering SRIF systematically alter GH release in response to fractional SRIF reduction? (4) Given a small but distinct effect of GH-RH on release of stored prolactin (PRL) in this system, does fractional SRIF reduction alter PRL release in parallel? Rat pituitary tissue whose hormone stores had been prelabeled with tritium was perifused for 120 min in combined 25 nM SRIF and 3 or 10 nM rat GH-RH (rGH-RH). Then, while maintaining rGH-RH concentrations, the SRIF concentration was left unchanged (control) or was reduced to 20, 15, 10, 5, or 0 nM for 60 min. Release of stored rGH and rPRL was assessed by immunoprecipitation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evidence that calcium channel blockade prevents cyclosporine-induced exacerbation of renal ischemic injury.

The following study was performed to determine whether calcium channel blockers, delivered before or after an ischemic insult, were effective at reducing cyclosporine-induced exacerbation of renal ischemic injury. When cyclosporine (5 mg/kg) was administered intravenously to rats after 30 min of renal ischemia, GFR fell by 60% compared with values observed in rats subjected to ischemia alone (190 +/- 30 vs. 330 +/- 40 microliters/min/100 g; P less than 0.05). Pretreatment with verapamil (10 micrograms/kg/min delivered intravenously) prevented the fall in GFR (320 +/- 70 microliters/min 100 g), as did pretreatment with nitrendipine, 1 micrograms/kg/min (460 +/- 90 microliters/min/100 g). Verapamil was less effective if given after the ischemia-cyclosporine insult (GFR 260 +/- 90 microliters/min/100 g), and nitrendipine given at this time had no beneficial effect at all (GFR 180 +/- 10 microliters/min/100 g). The doses of calcium channel blockers used had no protective effect on renal ischemic injury alone. Blood pressure during study ranged between 105 and 119 mm Hg with minor differences between groups. Sodium and potassium excretion and urinary flow rates were similar in all groups, except for a slight increase in sodium excretion in verapamil-treated rats. These values demonstrate that calcium channel blockers ameliorate the exacerbation or renal ischemic injury induced by cyclosporine if given before but not after the ischemia-cyclosporine insult. The protective effect of these agents, used preischemia in cyclosporine-treated rats, is observed with intravenous use of the drugs at doses that have no protective effect on renal ischemic injury alone.     

Comparison of polymerase chain reaction and Chlamydiazyme for the detection ofChlamydia trachomatis in clinical specimens

An attempt was made to improve laboratory diagnosis ofChalmydia trachomatis and to validate the Abbott Chlamydiazyme confirmatory test used at present by comparing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure and the Abbott enzyme immunoassay. A total of 275 routine clinical specimens representing a range of positive and negative findings by Chlamydiazyme were retested by PCR. The procedures demonstrated 99 % concordance for specimens with optical density (OD) readings above the Chlamydiazyme cut-off of 0.1, but PCR was confirmed to be significantly more sensitive (p<0.025) for specimens with OD values between 0.05 and 0.09. Specimens in this range should be retested routinely by PCR.     

LIMITATIONS OF RADIOTHERAPY IN THE DEFINITIVE TREATMENT OF SQUAMOUS CARCINOMA OF THE TONSILLAR FOSSA

Between 1970 and 1990, 104 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tonsil were treated. The median age was 58 years and 80% of patients were males. Distribution among clinical stages was: stage I, 19 patients; stage II, 12 patients; stage III, 23 patients; and stage IV, 48 patients. More than 70% of patients had initial radiotherapy as definitive treatment irrespective of stage, reflecting the treatment philosophy over much of this period. The overall survival rate was 26% at 5 years, with survival being significantly affected by T stage, clinical stage and age. Clinical node status did not significantly affect survival rates. Good local control of T₁N₀ cancers was achieved with radiotherapy alone, but patients with more advanced cancers did poorly. We have now moved away from a non-selective policy and use initial surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy in most patients, reserving radiotherapy alone for mainly early tonsil cancers.     

Epidemiologists in the United States: an assessment of the current supply and the anticipated need

We provide 1985 estimates of the work force of epidemiologists in the United States, the number of graduates from training programs in epidemiology, and a projection of the future need for these health professionals. Our methods included a search of mailing lists from professional organizations, mail contact with graduate training programs, telephone interviews with experts, and a review of job announcements in professional journals. The study indicates that the current work force of epidemiologists in the United States is estimated to include 4,600 persons, more than half of whom are physicians; most epidemiologists are located in either a state with a major federal public health agency or one with a large population; and programs in epidemiology graduate an average of 475 persons with one or two years of master's level education and approximately 80 with doctoral-level education each year. After considering the factors that influence the supply of epidemiologists, we project a substantial need for more epidemiologists in the future than current sources will provide.     

Odor-induced EEG changes in PTSD Vietnam veterans

Electroencephalogram (EEG) changes in response to trauma and non-traumarelated odors were examined in five Vietnam veterans with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and in five Vietnam veterans with adjustment-related problems (non-PTSD). Period analysis of the EEG indicated that the odors differentially affected the PTSD group's theta and alpha activity compared to the non-PTSD group. The greatest EEG and self-report odor and PTSD effects were found in response to a trauma odor which simulated burning flesh. These findings have important implications in the detection of veterans who attempt to feign deliberately the psychophysiological response pattern associated with PTSD.     

Physiological evidence that periodontal collagen in the rat exists as fibres prior to histological fixation

The hypothesis that the collagen in the periodontal membrane forms a thixotropic gel in life and that the arrangement seen in histological preparations is a fixation artifact was tested by comparing the effects of various agents on the position of teeth in isolated unfixed mandibles and on the length of bundles of rat tail tendon collagen. Changing from Ringer solution to deionized water produced a reversible shortening of fibres and extrusion of teeth. Sucrose solutions produced irreversible lengthening and intrusion. Glutaraldehyde generally produced no length changes in the fibres or movements of the teeth but made both the fibres and teeth unresponsive to further changes of solution. Six mandibles in Ringer solution were heated in 5 °C increments to 70 °C. Between 60 and 65 °C (denaturation temperature of soft tissue collagens) the incisor extruded by 60 ± 15 (SD) μm. This extrusion did not occur in mandibles that had been stored in formalin. These results are consistent with at least part of the periodontal collagen existing as obliquely oriented fibres before fixation. This orientation is such that contraction of the fibres could produce an eruptive force.