George L. Cohn

Absorption of Cortisol from the Colon in Ulcerative Colitis.

Summary Rectal Cortisol has been used in treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis with good results. Following administration of 200 mg of the steroid dissolved in 100 cc of normal saline, there was no significant increase in blood levels of cortisol. This was confirmed by absence in the plasma cortisol fraction of any appreciable radioactivity following instillation of cortisol-4-C14. By implication, our data suggest that the good clinical results obtained were probably the result of a local effect of the cortisol on the rectal mucosa.

Heroin and morphine binding with human serum proteins and red blood cells

Summary Equilibrium dialysis experiments were performed to determine the binding properties of heroin and morphine to major blood constituents. The serum proteins studied showed little binding with heroin-14C or morphine-14C. However, the addition of cold heroin to the system increased the observed uptake of the radioactive substance with serum, RBC, ghosts, and washed RBC. These changes in binding may be due to mechanical affinity of the molecules: 14C-labeled plus nonradioactive in vitro. Conjugation may alter this pattern in vivo. Free heroin and morphine probably float unbound in the blood before further metabolism in other tissues.

Conversion of Corticosterone-4-C14 to Aldosterone by Human Adrenal Slices.

Conclusions Synthesis of aldosterone by human adrenal slices from corticosterone-4-C14 has been demonstrated in vitro.

The Family and Home Hemodialysis: Adolescents' Reactions to a Father on Home Dialysis

Quality of life is the most controversial issue surrounding home hemodialysis. We examined how sixteen adolescents and their six families reacted to having a father on home hemodialysis, exploring the interplay between adolescent developmental conflicts and family stresses. Family members underwent role changes to adjust to alterations imposed by hemodialysis. Some adolescents helped relieve family stresses by taking an active role in dialysis. These eight adolescents developed greater self-esteem which enhanced identity growth and facilitated separation. Psychological responses were observed that resembled the “death guilt,” “psychic numbing,” and “invisible contamination” described in Hiroshima survivors. Adolescent developmental problems can be dwarfed by family conflicts around chronic illness and dialysis. Families adjusted to home hemodialysis showing new growth, managing with a barely workable arrangement, or adapting unsuccessfully. Understanding more about how home hemodialysis can influence family interactions can enable the medical staff to facilitate beneficial changes, and thereby improve the quality of life for patient and family.

Heroin Metabolism in the Rat

Summary Radioactive heroin was injected into rats treated with (cold) heroin (HA), nontreated control rats, and previously treated “withdrawn” rats (HW). The animals were sacrificed between 0–20 min postinjection. Brain, liver, kidneys and plasma were removed and assayed for the presence of heroin in relation to MAM and morphine. There is a significant difference in heroin metabolism between HA and control rats for all tissues studied. Tissues of HA rats maintain a relatively steady concentration of heroin from 0 to 20 min postinjection. Tissues of control rats exhibit an immediate drop in heroin concentration (0–2 min) before rising to a relatively steady state. Seven weeks after withdrawal from heroin, tissue metabolism is slowly returning toward normal but remains at levels closer to those in HA rats. Concentrations of heroin may be maintained by plasma acting as a carrier of heroin into tissues which deacetylate and plasma removing MAM and morphine out of these tissues for excretion. Differences in maintenance levels may be due to blocking of binding sites.