Evidence that deprenyl,a type B monoamine oxidase inhibitor,is an indirectly acting sympathomimetic amine

Various doses of l-deprenyl were tested for their abilities to increase blood pressure or heart rate in animals pretreated with a ganglionic blocking agent. The use of a ganglionic blocker (chlorisondamine) ensured that deprenyl-induced responses were mediated by the peripheral autonomic nervous system, and that these responses were not influenced by the central nervous system. It was found that l-deprenyl had a modest ability to increase blood pressure and a marked ability to increase heart rate. The ability of l-deprenyl to increase heart rate was diminished or abolished by propranolol, reserpine, and chemical sympathectomy (6-hydroxydopamine). Deprenyl-induced responses were negligibly affected by adrenalectomy. These data suggest that l-deprenyl is an indirectly acting sympathomimetic amine whose responses are mediated by norepinephrine in postganglionic sympathetic neurons. An additional finding was that desmethylimipramine, a known blocker of the norepinephrine pump, antagonized the effects of l-deprenyl. This finding suggests that l-deprenyl enters sympathetic neurons via the membrane pump. The ability of l-deprenyl to enter sympathetic neurons and evoke release of endogenous amines was not accompanied by a significant loss of tissue (heart) norepinephrine.     

Fecal steroid excretion and degradation and breast cancer stage

Evaluation of excretion and degradation of fecal steroids in 74 women with breast cancer in relation to stage, tumor size, and histopathologic nodal status revealed significant differences in relation to stage of disease and tumor size. The level of total fecal steroids (mean ± SD in mg/g dry wt) in patients with Stage I disease was 40 + 20, Stage II = 56 ± 32, and Stage III = 75 ± 57 (P = 0.006). Secondary fecal steroids in women with Stage I disease were 26 ± 16, Stage II = 40 ± 27, and Stage III = 57 ± 34 (P = 0.003). Fecal steroid excretion and degradation was significantly higher in women with larger tumors, whereas nodal status did not contribute to observed differences indicating that dissemination of disease did not influence the results. These differences were noted to be independent of obesity since similar patterns of fecal steroid excretion were noted within the subgroups of both lean and obese women. Increased levels of total fecal steroids and secondary compounds apparently contribute to tumor promotion and may reflect a potential for excess estrogen synthesis since intestinal bacteria have the ability to synthesize estradiol, estrone, and 3,17-methoxyestradiol from secondary steroids present in the colon.     

Stressful life events preceding road traffic accidents

Road users admitted to orthopaedic wards following road traffic accidents were allocated to groups respectively at fault and not at fault according to criteria of culpability for causing the accident. Fifty-five patients were given a Life Events Inventory and the General Health Questionaire. The group at fault experienced significantly more stressful life events than the group not at fault in the year preceding the accident, particularly in the 3 months before, and also reported more symptoms of psychological disturbance. The implications are discussed.     

Eliminating a severely retarded blind adolescent's tantrums using mild behavioral interruption: A case study

A blind 19 yr old severely retarded man was referred for behavior therapy because of violent and disruptive tantrums. Previous behavioral strategies had failed for various reasons. A very mild, brief, vestibular oriented physical procedure was designed to provide a low level disruptive effect. Intervention consisted of loud teacher demands to stop and work appropriately as well as guiding him through one 360° turn while standing. The data demonstrated rapid and long term success in eliminating the client's tantrums. The results were interpreted in terms of a behavioral interruptor of a chained sequence allowing refocusing of client attention and increased levels of reinforcement.     

Respiratory frequencies of sleeping infants during the first months of life: Correlations between values in different sleep states

This study was carried out on 57 normal infants: 22 full-term newborns, examined in the hospital laboratory, and 35 2–18-wk-old infants, examined in two resident nurseries. Polygraphic records, including 1–3 complete sleep cycles, were performed during the morning. The tracings were analyzed by 20-sec epochs.Three to 10% of active sleep states (AS) and 0.8-4% of quiet sleep states (QS) included ?3 sec respiratory pauses. There were minimal, non-significant differences between respiratory frequencies (RF) in total and in no-pause tracings.Our results confirmed that RF was higher in AS in all ages, when compared with QS (P < 0.02). During the transition (TS) from one to another well-defined sleep state, the respiratory rate showed an intermediate level (AS > TS > QS): the transition from AS to QS showed progressive slowing of RF, while the transition from QS to AS occurred abruptly, with sudden acceleration of RF. There was a significant slowing of RF during the course of QS, while the RF in AS was more variable without significant differences between the beginning, the middle and the end of AS state. In this material, RF was higher in 2–5-wk and 6–10-wk age groups, compared to newborns and to 11-18-wk-old infants. At all ages, there was a high degree of correlation (P < 0.01) between RF found in different sleep states for given individuals: some infants breathed more rapidly and others more slowly in all sleep states.A review of the literature showed that the differences between normal RF     

Efficacy of cervical cytologic screening in the control of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer mortality in the U.S. has been declining, and this has been attributed to cervical cytologic screening. This report reviews data on the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in order to evaluate the effect of cytologic screening. U.S. cervical cancer mortality has been declining consistently since 1946, with little change in the mortality trend after widespread cytologic screening. Incidence of invasive cervical cancer in specific geographic areas has also declined. However, the rate of diagnosis of carcinoma in situ has increased sharply and parallels increasing cytologic screening rates. A causal association of cytologic screening with the decreasing mortality and incidence of invasive cervical cancer cannot be established using current data, especially considering declining mortality prior to widespread screening and increasing removal of women from the population at risk by hysterectomy.     

Acute bacterial percarditis in children: Report of 25 cases

Twenty-five patients, aged 5 months to 14 years, with acute bacterial pericarditis are reported. Thirteen (52 per cent) of the patients died. The presenting symptoms, associated illness and physical findings, bacteriology, and response to therapy are reviewed. Optimum therapy consists of intravenous administration of specific antibiotics combined with surgical drainage; 90 per cent of our patients treated in this fashion survived. Antibiotic therapy alone is usually inadequate, especially in the presence of significant effusion, and among our patients only three of 10 patients so treated survived. One patient developed constrictive pericarditis 1 month after the initial attack with meningococcal pericarditis and required pericardectomy.