Vital statistics in the United States: preparing for the next century.

"This paper outlines the development of U.S. national vital statistics based on the local registration of vital events in the United States during the twentieth century, including the organization of the National Vital Statistics System. Current data developments and selected publications of the National Center for Health Statistics are presented as they relate to vital statistics. The paper concludes with an overview of ongoing efforts at the local, state, and federal levels to improve the timeliness and quality of vital statistics through the redesign and automation of data collection, processing, and dissemination systems."

[Causes of death responsible for international and intertemporal variation in sex mortality differentials].

Relative to a particular level of female mortality, male mortality is lower than expected, currently and historically, in Northwestern Europe, Southeastern Europe, and Tropical Latin America; it is higher than expected in Western-Central Europe and in the Far East. The geographical pattern of differentials is attributable primarily to variation in the masculinity of mortality from cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, and influenza/pneumonia/bronchitis. Over time, male mortality has increased relative to a particular level of female mortality, and these same causes of death are principally responsible. In the 1960's, high masculinity of mortality was associated independently with low proportions in primary activities, high proportions hiring in large cities, and with high discrimination against females in school enrollment combined with poor nutritional standards. The former two variables once again operate primarily through cardiovascular disease, neoplasms, and the respiratory diseases, whereas the discrimination-nutrition interaction appears to operate through infectious diseases. Variations in levels of economic modernization are capable of accounting for a substantial portion of the regional differences, although certain constitutional factors such as physiotype are also plausibly implicated, and they are also congruent with trends in sex mortality differentials.

Kinetics and interconversion of prednisolone and prednisone studied with new radioimmunogassays.

To determine the kinetics of metabolism and interconversion of prednisolone and prednisone, the plasma levels of these synthetic glucocorticoids were measured by new radioimmunoassays (RIA) after intravenous (iv) or oral administration to normal humans. Following the iv injection of prednisolone phosphate in 8 normal subjects, the mean half-time of prednisolone was 240+/-20 min (mean+/-SE) and the metabolic clearance rate was 82+/-7.2 1/24 h/m2. Of 10 mg of prednisone given orally to 5 normal subjects, 69+/-5% was absorbed and converted to peripheral plasma prednisolone within 8 h. The data indicate that prednisone is extensively metabolized to prednisolone before it clears the splanchnic circulation and the formation prednisone by oxidation of the 11-hydorxyl group of prednisolone appears to occur mainly in peripheral tissues.

Single dose metyrapone test: 11 beta-hydroxylase inhibition by metyrapone and reduced metyrapone assayed by radioimmunoassay.

To assess the effects of metyrapone and reduced metyrapone on 11 beta-hydroxylase inhibition, the plasma levels of cortisol, 11-deoxycortisol, and the inhibitors were measured by radioimmunoassays in 34 normal subjects 8 h after they received a single oral dose of metyrapone at midnight. The ratio of 11-deoxycortisol to cortisol, as an index of 11 beta-hydroxylase inhibition, was compared to plasma levels of metyrapone and reduced metyrapone. One subject received an infusion of metyrapone ditartrate in order to study the sequential conversion of metyrapone to reduced metyrapone. A new radioimmunoassay was developed for measurement of plasma concentrations of metyrapone and reduced metyrapone. Following intravenous administration of metyrapone, it is rapidly converted to an active metabolite, reduced metyrapone. At 8 h after a dose was given, the average reduced metyrapone level was 1.5 times higher than the average metyrapone level. Following oral administration of the drug, we found a high correlation when plasma levels of metyrapone were compared to reduced metyrapone and when the ratio of 11-deoxycortisol to cortisol was related to metyrapone or to total metyrapone levels. In conclusion, the conversion of metyrapone to reduced metyrapone is such that by 8 hours after a single oral dose, more than one-half of the inhibitory effect on 11 beta-hydroxylase appears to be produced by reduced metyrapone. The inhibitory action of metyrapone and reduced metyrapone on the enzyme system is reflected by their concentration in plasma.

Age at marriage as a factor in state divorce rate differentials.

The prominent East-to-West gradient in state divorce rates has frequently been partially attributed to an ecological factor called "frontier atmosphere," which incorporates the effects of mobility on social integration. This paper employs linear statistical procedures to show that, after adjustment of state divorce rates for age distribution, the percent ever married among teenage females is the best statistical predictor of 1960 and 1970 divorce rates, whereas "frontierness," conventionally measured by population mobility, is shown to have negligible effect, controlling for other selected legal and nonlegal factors. This finding suggests that previous ecological studies of divorce have overemphasized the effect of mobility and social stability on geographic divorce rate differentials, perhaps due to the neglect of demographic variables such as age distribution and especially age at marriage.