The mortality of coke workers in Britain.

Two studies of coke workers in Britain, comprising 6,767 men, gave similar results. The proportion of lung cancer deaths was about 20% higher than in manual workers generally. The excess occurred primarily among younger men. The ratio of lung cancers to all other cancers was also higher than expected, with limited data showing no evidence of excessive tobacco consumption. Death rates from other causes were generally favorable. Overall the lung cancer death rates in oven workers were similar to those in non-oven men, but in both studies some indications of a job-specific excess were noted. These findings are compared with results from earlier studies in the United States and Canada where a much higher excess lung cancer mortality was found in oven men, particularly those with longer exposure times. We discuss possible reasons for the differences, and conclude that the results reported now contribute further evidence that exposure to coal carbonization fumes can cause lung cancer.

Phonocardiographic recording of heterotopic cardiac graft function in the rat. I. Diagnosis of rejection.

Daily simultaneous recordings of an electrocardiogram and an external thorax phonocardiogram and abdominal phonocardiogram were obtained in 24 rats with abdominal heart grafts so that rejection could be studied. The sounds recorded above the heterotopic heart are the result of a pressure differential between host and graft ventricle competing with one another. As soon as the contractility of the graft ventricle decreases below the contractility of the host ventricle, characteristic and specific changes occur in the abdominal phonocardiogram: the amplitude of the first sound becomes smaller while the timing of the second heart sound (aortic valve closure) is subsequently controlled by the host ventricle. These observations coincide with clinical and histological symptoms of rejection and are, therefore, of diagnostic value. In addition, a rough quantitative record of graft function is obtained by abdominal phonocardiography using the host's own cardiac function as a reference parameter.

In vivo observations of skin capillaries in workers exposed to vinyl chloride. An English-American comparison.

An unselected sample of vinyl chloride (VC)-exposed individuals, all employees of a polyvinyl chloride production plant in England (129 subjects), were examined by in vivo capillary microscopy. Results were compared with those previously obtained from a similar study in the USA to determine whether an association between VC exposure and capillary abnormalities could be found in different environments. The results showed a similar distribution of capillary abnormalities among the VC workers in both countries (39.5% in England compared with 36% in the USA). These capillary abnormalities were significantly more frequent among VC-exposed subjects than among control industrial workers (7.7%, 6%). In vivo microscopy also showed a higher incidence of papular lesions (13.5%) than had been detected clinically (1%).

Specific adenosine binding proteins from rat liver.

Specific adenosine-binding proteins from homogenates of rat liver have been fractionated on a DEAE-cellulose column. Three major peaks have been identified with respect to histone phosphokinase and cAMP and adenosine-binding activities. Peak I contains only histone phosphokinase activity not stimulated by cAMP. Peak II contains histone phosphokinase slightly stimulated by cAMP. Both cAMP- and adenosine-binding activities are found in this fraction. The major adenosine-binding protein is associated with Peak III. Histone phosphokinase in Peak III which also binds cAMP is stimulated 2-fold by 2.5 muM cAMP whereas adenosine at 2.5 X 10(-4)M inhibits these enzymes equally well in each of three peaks. The specificity of adenosine binding is discussed.