Lawrence J. Milch

Serum Transaminase Activity in X-Irradiated Rabbits

Summary Rabbits were subjected to x-irradiation in dosages of 500, 750, and 1,000 r. Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase estimations were accomplished at 3, 6, and 24 hours post-irradiation. A significant increase in G-O-T activity could be identified at 6 hours in the rabbit group subjected to 500 r, and as early as 3 hours post-irradiation in the 750 r and 1,000 r animal groups. For the latter animals, the noted increase at 6 hours served to segregate 75% of the group on an individual basis. In rabbits subjected to 625 r of x-irradiation no relation was found between the serum G-O-T elevation and survival time.

Effect of certain drugs on the incidence of seasickness.

Several drugs were tested, some of them for the first time, against seasickness in military personnel on transport ships on the North Atlantic ocean. All of the drugs were given three fimes a day. Of the new ones tested phenglutarmide, 2.5 mg., and cinnarazine, 7.5 mg., were significantly effective on a single trip. Somewhat less effective were atropine and orphenadrine.

Plasma Lipoproteins and Muscle Adenosinetriphosphate in Rabbits after Local Irradiation

It was reported from this laboratory that 8 days after one hind limb of a rabbit had been exposed to X-radiation a pronounced hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipoproteinemia were observed (1). In preliminary studies it was also noted that the irradiated muscles (tibialis anticus) of these animals at 8 days postexposure showed markedly reduced concentrations of adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) (2). The present report extends the investigation to include changes in plasma lipoprotein and muscle ATP at 24 hours after local X-ray exposures and at 24 hours and 4 days after local exposures to varying rates of --radiation from a 1200-c Co6o source.

Prevention and treatment of motion sickness by intranasal medication.

Summary Scopolamine in small doses (0.3-0.4 mg) given intranasally by spray 30 minutes prior to exposure, exerted significant protection against swing sickness. During actual flight testing, addition of a surface active agent (sodium lauryl sulfate-Duponal C) increased its effectiveness. Nasal instillation to subjects 15-20 minutes after take-off sharply reduced the incidence of vomiting from airsickness during subsequent 40-45 minutes. Oral and sublingual administration under these conditions were ineffective. Considerable variations in the drug instilled resulted when given by spray. The use of nose drops allowed more accurate medication. The significance of this mode of administration for treating motion sickness is discussed.

Hyperlipoproteinemia and Cholesterol Deposition at the Arteries of I131-Treated Dogs.∗

Summary Dogs maintained for a year after I131 administration were found to achieve average maintenance levels of serum cholesterol in excess of 430 mg % and comparably elevated concentrations of other serum lipid and lipoprotein parameters. Tissue analysis at autopsy revealed significantly elevated levels of coronary artery, aorta, and liver cholesterol in male treated dogs, as compared with control males. Treated female dogs differed from treated males in developing significantly higher levels of Sf 0–12 blood lipoproteins, and slightly, possibly significantly, lower levels of coronary artery cholesterol. No correlation between altered tissue cholesterol content and any of the serum lipid or lipoprotein moieties was observed.

Some Effects of Protein Depletion and 2-Acetylaminofluorene on Activity of Rat Plasma Pseudocholinesterase∗

Summary Evidence is presented for the identity Df the plasma pseudocholinesterase of dog and rat and that the latter enzyme is stable when stored at low temperatures. Protein starvation is accompanied by a decrease in rat plasma pseudocholinesterase activity. The activity of this enzyme has been shown to increase markedly in rats fed 2-acetylaminofluorene before any gross evidence od hepatoma can be detected. As the hepatoma develops and liver protein concentration declines, the pseudocholinesterase activity of the plasma decreases from this high level.

AORTAL CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATIONS AFTER LINODOXINE ADMINISTRATION IN DOGS

Abstract : Linodoxine was added to the diet of 6 dogs fed excess fat, cholesterol, and propylthiouracil over a 9- to 11-week period. Administration of this drug mixture was associated with significantly (P less than .05) decreased concentrations of aortal cholesterol as compared to a simultaneously maintained group of dogs fed the same diet containing a placebo mixture of coconut oil in place of Linodoxine. Linodoxine was also associated with a significant shift of serum beta-lipoproteins toward classes of higher density, a reversal of the trend noted in the placebo-fed group of dogs.

The Relationship between the Concentrations of Serum Lipoproteins and Serum Lipids

Abstract : In this laboratory current research procedures require that simultaneous measurements of blood lipoproteins and blood lipids be accomplished in an effort to estimate the risk of coronary disease. It has been suggested that little additional information is gained by the multiple determinations. These studies report (1) the extent of correlation between ultracentrifugally determined serum lipoproteins, (2) the errors of measurement involved in all determinations, and (3) age-specific values for all serum parameters in the same population. It was found that although a high correlation exists between a linear combination of ultracentrifugally determined lipoproteins and the serum concentrations of cholesterol and phospholipid, the prediction of lipoprotein levels from the purely chemical measurements is not entirely satisfactory. Therefore, for the time being at least, all measurements will have to be accomplished.

Acute Experimental Hemorrhagic Shock in the Dog Treated with Subcutaneous Hyaluronidase-Dextran Solution

Summary Seventy-nine dogs were exsanguinated to respiratory arrest and, after 60 to 90 seconds, reinfused with 25% of hemorrhaged blood. Twenty-four control dogs received no further treatment and half of this number survived 24 hours. Physiologic sodium chloride solution with hyaluronidase (PSH) was administered subcutaneously to 27 animals and 6% dextran in physiologic sodium chloride-hyaluronidase (DSH) to the remaining 28. 93% of the dogs treated with physiological saline-hyaluronidase were alive after 24 hours, whereas only 50% survival was recorded for the dextran group.

The effects of hypersensitivity and stress on serum lipoprotein.

Cardiovascular and renal pathology have been produced in rabbits rendered hypersensitive with horse serum (1). It has been claimed that these pathological changes can be largely inhibited by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). On the other hand, Thompson, Arnold and Mitchell (2) have shown that intermittent episodes of acute hypoxia superimposed upon such hypersensitivity states caused more severe lesions than were evoked by either stress alone. In