Migraine and other diseases in women of reproductive age. The influence of smoking on observed associations

From among the pregnant women in the Collaborative Perinatal Project of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, we identified 508 who had migraine, and 3192 who had no history of migraine, of taking headache medication during the previous 12 months, and of headaches during the pregnancy. Migraineurs smoked more heavily and had a longer smoking history than their headache-free peers. Among migraineurs, smokers were not more likely to consume analgesics than nonsmokers. Regardless of smoking classification, more migraineurs consumed tranquilizers, amphetamines, and sleeping pills than headache-free women. Among smokers only, migraine was associated with heart disease, thrombosis/phlebitis, asthma, peptic ulcer, and pneumonia. In nonsmokers, migraine was associated with drug sensitivity and other allergies.

Volume expansion-induced changes in renal tubular membrane protein phosphorylation

The influence of volume expansion (VE) on the in vitro phosphorylation of membrane protein in the proximal brush border membrane (BBM) of the thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX) rat was studied in the presence and absence of cyclic AMP and the results were compared to those obtained in control TPTX and intact animals. The results indicate that the cyclic AMP-independent phosphorylation of a protein band (Mr = 72,000) was stimulated both by VE and by the presence of parathyroid hormone in the circulation, whereas the cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation of membrane proteins (Mr = 40,000, 52,000 and 87,000) was inhibited by the same maneuvers. These findings, taken together with data previously available, which demonstrate inhibition of BBM phosphate transport following VE, may provide a link between alterations in phosphate transport in renal BBM vesicles and the phosphorylation of membrane proteins. The results further suggest that membrane protein phosphorylation may be a common mechanism by which a number of agents and maneuvers induce an inhibition of renal tubular phosphate transport.

Quantification and immunolocalization of apolipoprotein E in experimental atherosclerosis

We developed a radioimmunoassay for rabbit apolipoprotein E (apo E) for studying their plasma apo E levels and its accumulation in the aorta of rabbits fed a cholesterol diet. Delipidation of plasma did not increase the apo E immunoreactivity and this immunoreactivity was indistinguishable from that in an apo E-phospholipid complex. The antigenic determinants of apo E in lipoprotein particles were therefore fully reacted with our goat anti-apo E antibodies. In our assay system, the non-ionic detergent Tween-20 was found to be necessary to significantly reduce the non-specific binding of 125I-labeled apo E to polystyrene tubes, and yet not interfere with the assay. In rabbits (n = 6) fed a high cholesterol (1%) diet, plasma apo E increased at least 10-fold above baseline levels and reached maximal levels within 17-20 days after the onset of cho-diet feeding. These levels were sharply reduced only 10 days after resuming a normal diet. Plasma total cholesterol levels went through a similar pattern. Thus, the plasma cholesterol concentration can simply be used to monitor the increase of apo E in cholesterol-fed rabbits. All the cholesterol-fed rabbits developed atherosclerotic fatty streak lesions and apo E located mostly in the thoracic region and was significantly correlated with the accumulation of lipids in the areas of lesion. In addition, the apo E deposition was limited to the aortic areas where lipids were present. On the other hand, apo A-I was not detectable in any lesion area. Our data suggest that apo E or apo E-containing lipoproteins, may be involved in the development of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

Genetic markers of an aboriginal Taiwanese population

A group of Taiwan aborigines, the Toroko, was typed for 21 classical genetic loci. This is part of an ongoing program aimed at a comprehensive study of Taiwan aborigines. In this first paper a short summary of historical, archeological, and anthropological data in the literature is made, and results of the present survey are compared with older results from other aborigine tribes. An analysis of other neighboring populations from southeast Asia has also been carried out in order to give a preliminary answer to the question of origin of Taiwanese aborigines. Fifteen populations were studied for 13 loci by tree analysis, principal components, and isolation by distance. Tree analysis and principal component analysis gave results in fairly good agreement and indicate three major population clusters: a northeast cluster (Ainu, Korea, Japan, and Ryukyu); a southeast cluster (south China, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, and Toroko); and a third cluster including Malaya and Borneo. The positions of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia are somewhat peripheral. Analysis of the tree shows some potential cases of convergence, perhaps owing to admixture, and of divergence. The analysis of isolation by distance shows that geographic propinquity is a reasonably good predictor of general similarity in this area.

Modulation of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor by phospholipids and fatty acids

The structural relationship between several lipids and their respective capacities to inhibit the specific binding of [3H]-1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 to chick intestinal cytosol preparations was investigated. The lipids investigated were: synthetic 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine and 3-sn-phosphatidic acid, egg yolk 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine and its corresponding phosphatidic acid, and free unsaturated fatty acids and their esters. The results indicate that at least three structural elements in the phospholipid molecule appear to be important; these are: 1) the structure of the fatty acid, 2) the anionic properties of the phospholipid phosphate group, and 3) the glycerol phosphate portion of the molecule. Our data also demonstrate that the position (1 or 2) and the amount (single vs. double) of unsaturated fatty acids in the phospholipid molecule do not play a major role in the receptor-1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 interaction. Furthermore, under equilibrium conditions, kinetic and Scatchard analysis suggest that phospholipids or free fatty acids may bind at a site different from the 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 binding site, and therefore inhibit the hormone binding via a noncompetitive conformational change in the receptor molecule. A model for this phospholipid/free fatty acid binding site is proposed.

Prostaglandin E2 and parathyroid hormone: comparisons of their actions on the rabbit proximal tubule

Recent studies demonstrated that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) participates in the regulation of glomerular and distal tubular function. A functional role for PGE2 on the proximal tubule has only recently been explored. Thus, we reported that PGE2 antagonizes the phosphaturic effect of PTH in the dog, which suggests that PGE2 may influence the transport functions of the mammalian proximal tubule. The present studies were designed to examine the direct effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PGE2 on the fluxes of fluid (Jv) and phosphate (Jl-b PO4) in the rabbit proximal convoluted and straight tubules (PCT and PST). The activation of adenylate cyclase by the two agents was also examined. Finally, the combined effects of PTH and PGE2 on Jv and Jl-b PO4 were also studied in the PST. In the PCT, PTH (1 microgram/ml) inhibited Jv by 31% (P less than 0.05) but did not alter Jl-b PO4. PGE2 (10(-5) M) failed to act on either Jv or Jl-b PO4. In this segment, PTH stimulated adenylate cyclase but PGE2 did not. In the PST, PTH (1 microgram/ml) inhibited Jv and Jl-b PO4 by 34 and 20%, respectively (P less than 0.01). PGE2 (10(-5) M) also inhibited Jv and Jl-b PO4, by 33 and 12%, respectively (P less than 0.02). In contrast, PGF2 alpha, a related prostanoid, failed to influence these transport parameters. In the PST, PTH activated adenylate cyclase but PGE2 failed to do so. When both PTH (1 microgram/ml) and PGE2 (10(-7) M) were present simultaneously, Jv and Jl-b PO4 were comparable to that seen during control collections.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

An image transform coding scheme based on spatial domain considerations

Image transform coding is first briefly reviewed using conventional viewpoints. Then a new spatial domain interpretation is given to image transform coding. An improvement based on this viewpoint for the Fourier transform coding, which possesses simple spatial domain relations, is presented.

Parathyroid hormone: effects of the 3-34 fragment in vivo and vitro

The biologically active fragment ofparathyroid hormone, consisting of residues 1-34, and its in vitro antagonist, fragment 3-34, were administered separately or in combination to chronically thyroparathyroidectomized dogs. These fragments were also studied in vitro with dog renal cortical membranes. Fragment 3-34 inhibited the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by fragment 1-34 in vitro, but had no agonist or antagonistic effects on renal phosphate transport in vivo.

Potentiation by calcium of the proximal tubular transport effects of parathyroid hormone

Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated that a low ('physiological') dose of parathyroid hormone (PTH) effects a phosphaturia in chronically thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX), hypocalcemic dogs, similar in magnitude to that seen in normal intact animals, without altering proximal tubular reabsorption. In addition, cyclic AMP did not increase following this amount of PTH, despite the phosphaturia. Since calcium is an important modulator of transport events, we studied the effects of restoring serum calcium (Ca) to normal before administering a physiological dose of PTH (0.3-0.5 U/kg). In hypocalcemic dogs given only physiological amounts of PTH, percentage phosphate excretion (%EPO4) rose from 3.81 +/- 1.48 to 18.29 +/- 5.69% (p less than 0.025) without any alteration in proximal tubular function. Ca infusion alone likewise did not change %EPO4 or proximal tubular transport. However, calcium-infused dogs given a physiological dose of PTH showed a reduction in proximal tubular fractional phosphate reabsorption from 0.73 +/- 0.04 to 0.63 +/- 0.04 (p less than 0.005), as well as an increase in %EPO4 (from 5.64 +/- 1.69 to 15.86 +/- 2.82%, p less than 0.001), without any increase in urinary or tissue cyclic AMP. We conclude that the elevation of the serum Ca to normal restores the ability of PTH in physiological amounts to alter proximal tubular PO4 transport. The data also suggest that this action of PTH is mediated by Ca, rather than by the adenylate cyclase system.

Occupational exposure in the academic sector of the R.O.C

This paper deals with occupational exposure in the academic sector of the Republic of China during the past two decades. The Tsing-Hua film badges were used for personnel monitoring. The radiation sources available in the research institutes and universities are listed and illustrated. The number, sex, age and per capita dose equivalent for the radiation workers in the past 21 yr are analyzed. The radioisotope production rate and the dose equivalent received by the workers are compared, and the results indicate that radiation protection has been greatly improved during last decade.

Participation of the renin system in treatment-resistant hypertension as measured by acute blockade of the angiotensin converting enzyme

The acute blood pressure response to the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, was used to measure participation of the renin-angiotensin system in treatment-resistant hypertension. By 2 h after a single 25-mg oral captopril dose in patients still receiving a diuretic-vasodilator-beta-blocker combination, systolic and diastolic blood pressures had fallen significantly; the decrease in diastolic pressure correlated with the control (immediately pre-captopril) plasma renin activity (r = 0.64, p less than 0.001). Apart from its possible contribution to the underlying hypertension, this captopril-identified renin component may have reflected diuretic and vasodilator-induced renin stimulation that could not adequately be prevented by the renin-lowering properties of the beta-blocker. Captopril, and perhaps other specific antirenin drugs, therefore, may be valuable adjuncts to treatment in patients with hypertension refractory to conventional therapy.

Inhibition of the renal tubular effects of parathyroid hormone on phosphate transport by prostaglandin E2

The infusion of PGE2 into TPTX dogs abolishes the phosphaturic action of PTH in vivo. This effect occurs only if PGE2 infusion precedes the administration of PTH. The infusion of PGE2 in vivo induces a state of refractoriness of PTH-sensitive adenylate cyclase in renal middle medulla from TPTX dogs in vitro. These results suggest that PGE2 inhibits the biological effects of PTH, in part by altering the events related to PTH activation of renal adenylate cyclase. These effects of PGE2, a local mediator, suggest that the renal tubular cell may modulate its responses to multiple and antagonistic stimuli by altering local renal prostaglandins.