Environmental and nutritional factors significantly associated with cancer of the urinary tract among different ethnic groups.

A high incidence rate of urinary tract cancer in the Acre District among the Jewish population compared with the non-Jewish population has been studied. The dietary and environmental factors identified and the possible mechanisms of the protective effect that may be conferred by fluid intake, olives and olive oil, cumin, and pepper (chili pepper and pepper) are discussed.

Monotherapy of stable angina pectoris with bopindolol in comparison with diltiazem.

The efficiency of bopindolol (B) in the treatment of moderate stable angina pectoris was compared with that of diltiazem (D) by clinical evaluation and exercise tolerance. Following washout of previous treatment, patients were randomly assigned to either medication: 16 to D and 15 to B. The initial dose of B was 1 mg once daily, increased after 4 weeks to 2 mg once daily; the respective doses of D were 120 and 240 mg, given in 4 divided doses. Therapy resulted in an average decrease of 22 pain episodes and 256 min of pain time per month in the B group, whereas the respective reductions in the D group were 1.65 episodes and 129 min. Improvement in the exercise test indices following 8 weeks of treatment was more marked in the B group than in the D group. The average double product at peak exercise decreased markedly in the B group and more moderately in the D group. Thus, 2 mg B given once daily effectively blocked B receptors and relieved angina more efficiently than 240 mg D given in 4 divided doses.

In vitro effect of PTH on normal T cell functions.

Uremia is associated with impairment of various cell-mediated immunity functions. The effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) - known to be elevated in uremia - on several T cell functions has been studied. Normal peripheral blood lymphocytes incubated with increasing amounts of human PTH (HPTH) or bovine PTH (BPTH) showed a considerable decrease (up to 40%) in lectin-induced lymphocytes transformation, significant decrease in helpers to suppressors ratio, and marked inhibition of E rosette formation and T11-positive cells. PTH alone showed no cytotoxic effect on lymphocytes when incubated with or without mitogens. Glucagon, in concentrations up to 10-fold those found on uremia, had no effect on T cell function. Thus the effect of PTH was specific to the hormone action. The direct effect of PTH on normal T lymphocytes and some of their immunological responses is not clear. However, the results of this study support the hypothesis that excess blood levels of PTH may play a role in the pathogenesis of the impairment of the immune response in uremia.

Linear regressions in the calculation of lethal gene equivalents in man.

Linear regressions have been used extensively for the calculation of lethal gene equivalents in human populations. There are considerable theoretical and practical objections to the use of the method for this purpose.