Harry Robinson

Effect of beta adrenergic stimulation and blockade on immediate hypersensitivity skin test reactions

Abstract The effects of isoproterenol (a β-adrenergic stimulating agent) and propranolol (a β-adrenergic blocking agent) were studied on immediate hypersensitivity skin test reactions in 15 atopic subjects. Forearm skin of these subjects was pretreated with these agents by local iontophoretic application and compared to areas locally pretreated with saline or diphenhydramine hydrochloride. Following pretreatment of skin, scratch or intradermal tests were performed with the most reactive antigen for each patient. A significant increase of skin reactivity occurred in areas of skin pretreated with propranolol. A significant decrease in reactivity followed pretreatment with isoproterenol. Thus the iontophoresis of β-adrenergic agents can alter the immediate hypersensitivity skin test reactions of atopic patients. This alteration is consistent with a modification of the local synthesis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (CAMP) induced by these pharmacologic agents. It is not clear whether this presumed alteration in CAMP is exerting its effect on mediator release from dermal mast cells or directly on the dermal blood vessels or both.

Epidemiological investigation on stomach cancer mortality in Chileans: Association with nitrate fertilizer

A statistical analysis was made of the relative contributions of exposure to fertilizer, rainfall and latitude to the variability of gastric cancer mortality rates in the Chilean Provinves. The relative contributions of these independent variables to variability in the death rates were evaluated by multivariate analysis. The method used was stepwise multiple regression. Results indicated that the major factor studied influencing stomach cancer mortality rates for the Chileans is the exposure to sodium nitrate used as fertilizer. When the mortality rates by Provinces were regressed on the exposure to sodium nitrate, a statistically significant association (p<0.02) was found. Associations between gastric cancer death rates on the one hand and proportions of farmers and farmer exposure to sodium nitrate on the other hand, indicate that farmer deaths are influencing the death rates by provinces. Male workers in actual contact with the soil, such as farmers (31.2%) and miners (18.7%), accounted for 49.4% of all male deaths from stomach cancer, that is 837 cases. Untersucht mit Hilfe statistischer Methoden (Regressions-Analyse) der Einfluß von unabhängigen Variablen wie Düngemittelverbrauch, Regenmenge und geographischer Breitegrad auf die Krebssterblichkeit in chilenischen Provinzen. Der die Sterblichkeit an Magencarcinomen hauptsächlich beeinflussende Faktor scheint das als Düngemittel benutzte Natriumnitrit zu sein, da sich beim Vergleich der Provinzen eine statistisch signifikante Assoziation ergab (p<0,02). Der Zusammenhang zwischen Todesraten an Magenkrebs und Anteil der Farmer sowie der Exposition von Farmern gegenüber Natriumnitrit weist auch darauf shin, daß die Todesfälle der Farmer die Todesrate der Provinzen beeinflussen. Männliche, mit dem Boden in Berührung kommende Arbeiter wie Bauern (31,2%) und Bergarbeiter (18,7%) waren zu 49,4% für alle (837) männlichen Todesfälle durch Krebs verantwortlich.

A comparative study of divorce in rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases

Abstract A significantly greater than expected number of divorced females was observed in a series of rheumatoid arthritis patients when compared to a control group of other rheumatic disease patients similar in age, race and sex ( p p

Earnings of early diagnosed arthritis patients and matched controls

Abstract Newly diagnosed arthritis patients who met ARA criteria for probable, definite or classical RA were matched on study entry to normal controls and earnings were compared both before and after onset of arthritis in the study groups. Significant differences were found in earnings of the ARA probable patients versus either their normal controls or definite patients, with the probable patients having earned significantly more than each of the other groups. The data are consistent with an hypothesis that milder arthritis manifestations may relate to increased striving as suggested by increased earnings of patients satisfying ARA criteria for only probable RA. The definite-classical patients had similar earnings to their controls pre-onset but decreased earnings after onset of disease and significantly less likelihood of having an earnings increase after onset of arthritis.

Effect of beta adrenergic stimulation and blockade on cutaneous reactivity to histamine

It has been previously demonstrated that iontophoresis of beta adrenergic agents will alter the size of immediate hypersensitivity skin tests. It was unclear whether this alteration was due to an effect on the dermal mast cell (inhibition of histamine release) or on the cutaneous vasculature (inhibition of capillary permeability). For this reason isoproterenol, propranolol, diphenhydramine as a positive control, and saline as a negative control were iontophoresed onto the forearm of 10 atopic and 10 nonatopic adult subjects. In order to bypass histamine release from mast cells the patients were then challenged directly with histamine by the prick technique. The size of the resultant wheals was noted. The data obtained allowed the following conclusions: (1) The atopic group responded to histamine with greater wheal size than the nonatopic group. (2) Iontophoresis of diphyenhydramine effectively reduced the magnitude of the histamine wheal in both groups. (3) Isoproterenol decreased the wheal size in both groups. (4) Propranolol increased the wheal size in only the nonatopic group. (5) The successful modulation of the histamine-induced wheal and flare indicated that these drugs, regardless of their effect on the dermal mast cell, exert a measurable effect on the target organ (vasculature).

Soil pH, rainfall and death rates for oesophageal cancer in Chileans

Summary An investigation on soil pH and oesophageal cancer mortality rates in Chile was made. Also the association between soil pH and rainfall in the different Chilean Provinces was studied. It was found that alkaline soils were associated with geographical areas having the highest age-adjusted death rates from oesophageal cancer. Rainfall was negatively associated with soil pH, that is to say, areas with the lowest rainfall had the highest pH values (alkaline soils). These studies confirm the investigations carried out in the northern coast of Iran.