Chronic occupational exposure to organic solvents

Summary Twenty-two persons (20 men and 2 women) were examined for their external and internal exposure to the glycol ether 1-methoxypropan-2-ol (PGME) during the production, leak testing and mounting of brake-hoses. For the measurement of external exposure, personal air monitoring was the method of choice. Average concentrations of PGME of 82.2 mg/m³ (22.3 ppm), 68.6 mg/m³ (18.6 ppm) and 11.3 mg/m³ (3.1 ppm) were found in the air of the brakehose production, leak test and mounting areas, respectively. For the estimation of internal exposure to PGME, this glycol ether was measured in both urine and blood. The biological samples were taken post-shift. The highest internal exposure levels were found in the brakehose production section and in the leak test area. The average post-shift concentrations for PGME in workers in the brakehose production section were 4.6 mg/l in urine and 13.5 mg/l in blood; the corresponding figures for workers in the leak test area were 4.2 mg/l in urine and 11.0 mg/l in blood. In blood and urine samples of workers engaged in the mounting area, PGME levels were below the detection limits. The elimination kinetics of PGME were also studied in three highly exposed persons, and mean excretion half-lives of PGME of approximately 4.4 h were found. On the basis of our results we made a rough calculation of a future biological tolerance value: we would except that concentrations of 38-109 mg per litre of blood and 10–31 mg per litre of urine would correspond to the German MAK value for PGME (375 mg/m³).     

Regulation of fluid intake in dogs following water deprivation

Whereas water loss in land living animals occurs continuously, water intake takes place discontinuously. At the normal operating set point of plasma osmolality, urine is more concentrated than plasma due to secretion of vasopressin. Thus animals operate around a state of mild dehydration. As water loss occurs, the severity of dehydration and thirst increase in intensity and at some point water intake occurs. Sufficient water is consumed to return plasma osmolality to the normal operating set point. Food intake and water balance are interdependent as food provides the osmoles which determine obligatory renal solute excretion. When dry food with the same osmotic content was substituted for canned food (water content 74%), dogs increased water intake from 24.2 +/- 4.3 to 62.2 +/- 8.8 ml/kg. Urine output and urine osmolality were unchanged, as under conditions of normal hydration, near maximal urine concentration is achieved. Changing water intake is the only available variable to maintain water balance. During water deprivation, the major renal mechanism appears to be natriuresis. In rehydration, satiety mechanisms ensure appropriate water intake and renal sodium conservation restores sodium balance.     

UF-100型全自动尿液沉渣检测仪测定参考范围调查

目的　确定UF - 10 0型全自动尿液沉渣检测仪检测健康人尿沉渣检测的参考值范围。方法　用UF - 10 0型全自动尿液沉渣检测仪随机检测 5 2 0例健康人不离心尿液标本 ,对尿液沉渣进行分析。结果　尿液中红细胞 (RBC)、白细胞 (WBC)、上皮细胞 (EC)、管型 (CAST)各年龄组之间检测值经 F 检验 ,差异无显著意义 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,但男、女性别之间差异有显著意义 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论　尿液RBC、WBC、EC的多少与年龄无关 ,但与性别有关。健康人参考值的确立 ,为尿液常规检验定量标准化和临床应用提供了依据     

Atrial natriuretic peptide in human urine

Summary A highly sensitive radioimmunoassay to measure atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentration in urine has been established, and its clinical usefulness is presented. ANP in urine was stable at 4° C for several days and was easily measured by our radioimmunoassay. The average ANP excretion in 65 healthy persons was 25.0±1.4 ng/day (mean ± SEM) and the fractional excretion of ANP was 0.7±0.05%. In 14 patients with congestive heart failure, the average ANP excretion was 119.2±29.4 ng/day, which decreased to 53.3±11.0 after successful treatment.Abbreviations ANP atrial natriuretic peptide - hANP human atrial natriuretic peptide - RIA radioimmunoasay - NSB non specific bound - FE_ANP the fractional excretion of atrial natriuretic peptide - FE_Na the fractional excretion of sodium - SIADH the syngrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone     

A method for the collection of individual mouse urine

Behavioral research often requires urine collection. An apparatus has been developed for the collection of urine from individual or small groups of mice and is recommended for general use where urine from unstressed mice is required.     

含双酚—A和杂环结构的聚芳醚酮的合成与表征

用苯酚、苯酐和水合肼合成了4-（4-羟苯基）-2,3-二氮杂萘酮-1,并与双酚-A和二苯甲酮聚合,得到含双酚-A和杂环结构的聚醚酮聚合物。用FT-IR、^13C-NMR、DSC、TGA和DMA等方法对聚合物进行了表征。结果表明,这种可溶性的非晶态聚合物有较高的Tg和很高的耐热温度,Tg随聚合物的组成不同而变化（158-224℃）,5%热失重温度为444-541℃。     

Investigations into the effects of various hepatotoxic compounds on urinary and liver taurine levels in rats

The effect of various hepatotoxicants on urinary taurine and urinary creatine has been studied in the rat. Several hepatotoxic agents, carbon tetrachloride, thioacetamide, galactosamine and allyl alcohol which all caused hepatic necrosis (sometimes accompanied by steatosis), resulted in a rise in urinary taurine and in some cases creatine, when administered to rats. Ethionine and hydrazine also raised urinary taurine but caused only steatosis and did not raise urinary creatine. Therefore urinary taurine and possibly creatine may be useful markers of liver injury and dysfunction. Liver taurine levels were also affected by some of the hepatotoxicants but in those cases where there was a rise in urinary taurine this could not be accounted for by the loss in liver taurine. It is suggested that the increase in urinary taurine is partly due to changes in protein synthesis and hence in sulphur amino acid metabolism caused by hepatotoxic agents. However, bromobenzene did not increase urinary taurine and-naphthylisothiocyanate and lithocholate caused reduced levels. It is suggested that this lack of increase in urinary taurine may be due to depletion of glutathione or interference with the biliary system.     

Effect of regular training on the anthropometric parameters and urine steroids in childhood

The changes in the anthropometric data and urine steroid metabolites caused by regular training in children in two age groups (11 and 14 years old) were investigated. The skinfolds of older girls participating in regular athletic, swimming or soccer training were thinner compared with age-matched control groups (P < 0.01) and their body mass and constitution were lower (P < 0.05). In the other groups no significant differences were observable in the anthropometric parameters. The trained children in all groups had significantly higher exercise times on the cycle ergometer (P < 0.01, in young boysP < 0.05). The strength of their hands was lower in three trained groups: in younger boys (P < 0.05), in younger girls (P < 0.01) and in older girls (right handP < 0.01, left handP < 0.05). The urinary excretion of androsterone (P < 0.02), 11-ketopregnanetriol (P < 0.01) and pregnenetriol (P < 0.02) was decreased in the older trained girls; pregnenetriol was increased in younger boys (P < 0.05). Urinary excretion of cortisol metabolites was increased in trained boys [in younger boys: tetrahydrocorticosterone (P < 0.05) and 20-hydroxycortisol (P < 0.05); in older boys allotetrahydrocortisol (P < 0.02), cortisol (P < 0.05) and 20-hydroxycortisol (P < 0.05)]. There were no significant differences in the younger girls. In the trained older girls urinary excretion of cortisol metabolites was decreased: tetrahydrocortisone (P < 0.02), allotetrahydrocorticosterone (P < 0.01), tetrahydrocortisol (P < 0.05), -cortolone (P < 0.01), cortisol (P < 0.02), 6-hydroxycortisol (P < 0.01) and 20-hydroxycortisol (P < 0.05). A multivariate analysis of the data from the trained groups and sedentary, age-matched control groups showed that regular training has a significant effect on steroid excretion.     

Isolation and determination of quaternary ammonium compounds by means of amberlite XAD-columns and thin layer chromatography

The potentials of XAD-columns for the isolation of quaternary ammonium compounds from aqueous media have been investigated. When adequate amounts of counter ions (perchlorate, chloride, phosphate, nitrate) were added to the aqueous sample, to the column pretreatment fluid and to the aqueous washing fluid, most quaternary compounds investigated were retained on the column and could be recovered by elution with methanol. This approach proved also suitable for urine. Quantitation of quaternaries isolated in this way from urine samples could be performed on silicagel thin layer plates through visualization with iodine, followed by densitometric evaluation. For decamethonium detection limits were 0.1 g/ml. Recoveries at the 1 g/ml level were between 80–90% with variation coefficients of less than 10%.Presented at the European Meeting of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists, July 4–7, 1978, Utrecht, The Netherlands