Buspirone inhibits contact hypersensitivity in the mouse.

We have observed that 8-4-[4-2-pyrimidyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]-8-azaspiro [4.5]decane-7.9-dione, an agent commonly known as buspirone HCl, possesses immunosuppressive activity when administered either topically or systemically, as assessed in a mouse model of contact hypersensitivity. Topical or systemic administration of buspirone significantly reduced the tissue swelling and leukocyte infiltration associated with the elicitation phase of contact hypersensitivity. Buspirone is a safe, widely used drug which has a history of use in humans throughout the world. These data demonstrate a previously unknown pharmacologic activity of buspirone.

The new medical practice environment. Internists' view of the future.

There have been many changes in the environment in which internal medicine is practiced in recent years. This has been coupled with reports of internists becoming frustrated and of internists leaving primary care practice. We conducted a survey of 219 internists in academic and private practice in western New York. While internists were generally positive regarding the training of residents, there was a pervasive feeling of frustration and demoralization among practicing internists. This demoralization may affect recruitment of new physicians to internal medicine and cause early retirement of practicing internists. The study demonstrated some of the causes of the demoralization.

A sweat-patch test for alcohol consumption: evaluation in continuous and episodic drinkers.

We evaluated the sweat-patch test for its ability to detect alcohol consumption. During an 8-day study, volunteers drank whisky while wearing sweat-patches that collected sweat continuously at a steady rate. We offered 1.0, 2.0, or 5.0 g ethanol/kg/day to 6 continuous drinkers, and 5.0 g ethanol/kg/day for 2 days to 8 episodic drinkers, and removed sweat patches after 2, 4, 6, and 8 days. The concentration of ethanol in the collected sweat (Cs) rose: (1) progressively with the amount of alcohol consumed: and (2) linearly with the mean concentration of ethanol in the blood (Cb) during the sweat collection period (In Cs = 0.80 In Cb - 1.40; r = 0.93, p < 0.001). The test clearly distinguished drinkers from nondrinkers (Cs < 0.0022 G/L when no ethanol consumed; Cs > 0.0067 G/L when 0.5 G ethanol/kg/day consumed and when Cb > 0.013 G/L). The sweat patch test provides an objective index of drinking behavior with potential applications in clinical practice and research.