Effect of cigarette smoke on seed germination.

The effect of cigarette smoke was studied on the germination of radish, kale, lettuce, amaranth, wheat, rice, barley and rye seeds. It was found that such smoke markedly retarded, in all cases, the rate of germination. Furthermore, cigarette smoke caused a retardation of the levels of certain enzymes (alpha-amylase or lysozyme) known to be significant in the germination of these seeds.

Environmental tobacco smoke uptake by clothing fabrics.

The uptake of cigarette smoke by a variety of clothing fabrics was determined. The tested fabrics included wool, linen, cotton, silk, rayon, acetate and polyester. While a variety of factors effect such absorption, polyester fabrics were found to significantly take up less smoke than all the other tested cloths. A simple and rapid technique is described for measuring such absorption.

Salivary alpha-amylase and lysozyme levels: a non-invasive technique for measuring parotid vs submandibular/sublingual gland activity.

Cannulation procedures have shown that alpha-amylase is produced primarily by the parotid gland, whereas lysozyme is produced mainly by the submandibular and sublingual glands. In this study, the ratio of lysozyme to alpha-amylase was determined in whole human saliva following challenge with various gustatory and mechanical stimuli. Comparison of this ratio with the immediately preceding "baseline" value, and knowledge of the salivary glandular origin of these enzymes, gives an indication of the level of activation of these differing glands. This methodology obviates the need for invasive cannulation techniques. The findings also show that strong taste stimuli, such as salt, activate the submandibular/sublingual glands more as compared to the parotid gland.

Uptake of calcium and magnesium by human scalp hair from waters of different geographic locations.

The uptake of Ca2+ and Mg2+ by human scalp hair from waters of 24 different locations throughout the world was determined. The uptake was found to vary markedly depending on the initial total hardness and pH of the water. Water of high initial total hardness and/or high initial pH were found, in general, to result in more hair adsorption of these alkaline earth cations. When hair is washed with these differing waters, varying effects are then found in the eventual coiffure.

The incidence of parental obesity in overweight individuals.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the incidence of parental obesity in overweight individuals. METHOD: The records of 3,227 adult (age 18 or older) obese (body mass index [BMI] higher than 27) outpatients seen at the Cathedral Hill Obesity Clinic over the past approximate three decades were reviewed. The incidence of parental and grandparental obesity was determined from patient histories. RESULTS: A far higher prevalence of obese female parents than obese male parents was found in this overweight population. This excess is greater in blacks than in whites, and in females than in males. BMI is greater in earlier than later age of obesity onset. A higher incidence of obese grandmothers than grandfathers was also found in this sample. DISCUSSION: The findings of a higher maternal and grandmaternal obesity incidence are discussed in terms of environmental and genetic factors.

Temporal fluctuations in suicide calls to a crisis intervention service.

Suicide-related calls received by a crisis intervention center were analyzed for temporal variations. The overall number of calls, calls concerning personal suicidal ideation, and calls concerning third-person suicide attempt varied by both month and day of the week. Ideation calls and calls involving a suicide attempt varied by day of the month. Month and day of the week variation in third-person calls paralleled variations in completed suicides. Fluctuations were large enough to be useful in scheduling crisis center staff. The possibility that third-person calls represent a greater suicide threat than first-person calls is discussed.

D2 dopamine receptor gene and obesity.

The prevalence of Taql A D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) alleles was determined in 73 obese women and men. In this sample with a mean body mass index of 35.1, the A1 (minor) allele of the DRD2 gene was present in 45.2% of these nonalcohol, nondrug abusing subjects. The DRD2 A1 allele was not associated with a number of cardiovascular risk factors examined, including blood lipids (cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL]- and low-density lipoprotein [LDL]-cholesterol, and triglycerides). However, phenotypic factors characterized by the presence of parental history and postpuberty onset of obesity as well as carbohydrate preference were associated with obese subjects carrying the A1 allele. The cumulative number of these three factors was positively and significantly (p < .0002) related to A1 allelic prevalence. The data showing an association of the minor allele of the DRD2 gene with phenotypic characteristics suggest that this gene, located on q22-q23 region of chromosome 11, confers susceptibility to a subtype of this disorder.

Indapamide in the stepped-care treatment of obese hypertensive patients.

A double-blind study was carried out in obese patients with moderately severe hypertension to assess the efficacy and tolerability of 2.5 mg indapamide as a once-a-day Step 1 drug compared to 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide also as a once-a-day Step 1 drug; to assess the efficacy and tolerability of a fixed daily dose of 2.5 mg indapamide administered concomitantly with methyldopa starting at 500 mg daily; and to compare the findings of efficacy and tolerability of 2.5 mg indapamide daily with those of 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide daily as Step 1 agents when methyldopa is the Step 2 drug. Twenty-nine patients completed the study and were evaluated. Nine patients achieved the study criterion of reduction of average standing diastolic pressure to 90 mmHg or less when treated with Step 1 medication only. Twenty patients required the addition of methyldopa to their Step 1 medication: 10 patients took 2.5 mg indapamide with an average constant daily dose of 1100 mg methyldopa and 10 patients took 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide with an average constant daily dose of 1575 mg methyldopa to achieve blood pressure control. All groups had mean diastolic pressure controlled at or below the 90 mmHg criterion during the period of constant methyldopa dosage for those patients who required Step 2 therapy. There were no significant differences between groups with respect to diastolic pressure during the constant dosage period. The indapamide patients required significantly (p less than 0.05) less methyldopa than did the hydrochlorothiazide patients in order to maintain satisfactory control of diastolic blood pressure. The number of responders was greater in the 2.5 mg indapamide + methyldopa group than it was in the 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide + methyldopa group, and responses were achieved more rapidly in the former group than in the latter. Indapamide (2.5 mg per day) was effective and well tolerated when used alone or as Step 1 medication in combination with methyldopa as Step 2 medication, and it compared favourably in this regard with hydrochlorothiazide.

Carminic acid, a non-competitive inhibitor of kidney UDP-glucose:galactosylhydroxylysine-collagen glucosyltransferase.

1. UDP-glucose:galactosylhydroxylsine-collagen glucosyltransferase was purified 12-fold from rat kidney. 2. An assay using calf-skin gelatin as substrate showed time- and enzyme-dependent incorporation; KmS for UDP-glucose and gelatin were 16-7 microM and 4.5 mg/ml, respectively. 3. Column chromatography of the alkaline hydrolysate of reaction product on Dowex 50W-4X(H+) showed that 84% of the radioactivity was in the glycosylgalactosylhydroxylsine peak. 4. Carminic acid inhibited collagen glycosyltransferase; a dose-dependent study showed a two-stage inhibition and kinetic analysis by double-reciprocal plots at varying UDP-glucose concentrations revealed a non-competitive mode of inhibition.

High glucose-induced enzyme activity changes in cultured cell lines established from the kidneys of Chinese hamsters with aglycosuria or spontaneous glycosuria.

Chinese hamster kidney epithelial-like cells derived from highly inbred nondiabetic (AV) and diabetic (XA) genetic sublines were passaged in medium containing 100 or 400 mg/dl glucose. The effect of high medium glucose on the activities of 5 enzymes involved in glucose metabolism was followed and significant glucose-dependent difference was observed. The effects, however, were opposite in cells derived from AV and XA sublines.

Renal glucosyltransferase activity in highly-inbred spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamsters.

A modified glucosyltransferase assay using degraded gelatin as acceptors was found to be enzyme concentration- and time-dependent in the Chinese hamster kidney extracts. In 54 Chinese hamsters selected from 7 highly inbred sublines with or without spontaneous glycosuria, the glucosyltransferase activity (0.78-3.25 unit/g) in the kidney was found to be significantly correlated (P = 0.0002) to blood sugar concentrations (60-475 mg/dl). However, subline-dependent variation in glycosyltransferase activity was also evident and, in animals from 2 of the 5 diabetic sublines, similar activity of glucosyltransferase was found in their kidneys as in those of nondiabetic animals. It was concluded that renal glucosyltransferase activity was affected by blood sugar level as well as by genetically determined factor(s).

Long-term usage of tienilic acid in essential hypertension.

The purpose of this double-blind study was to compare the effects on blood pressure of tienilic acid and hydrochlorothiazide in patients with essential hypertension. The biochemical effects of tienilic acid in relation to those of hydrochlorothiazide were also determined over a long-term period of therapy. Sixty-six outpatients with mild to moderate essential hypertension were treated for seven months with either 250 mg of tienilic acid or 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide after a 3 week placebo period. When warranted, dosage was increased to a maximum of 500 mg of tienilic acid and 100 mg of hydrochlorothiazide daily. Results indicate that tienilic acid reduced blood pressure significantly and to the same extent as hydrochlorothiazide. No significant side effects were observed. The effects on potassium, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were comparable in both groups. However, serum uric acid rose with hydrochlorothiazide but fell with tienilic acid. In view of this effect, tienilic acid may have certain advantages over thiazide therapy in the treatment of hypertension.