Development and application of multi-proxy indices of land use change for riparian soils in southern New England, USA.

Understanding the effects of land use on riparian systems is dependent upon the development of methodologies to recognize changes in sedimentation related to shifts in land use. Land use trends in southern New England consist of shifts from forested precolonial conditions, to colonial and agrarian land uses, and toward modern industrial-urban landscapes. The goals of this study were to develop a set of stratigraphic indices that reflect these land use periods and to illustrate their applications. Twenty-four riparian sites from first- and second-order watersheds were chosen for study. Soil morphological features, such as buried surface horizons (layers), were useful to identify periods of watershed instability. The presence of human artifacts and increases in heavy metal concentration above background levels, were also effective indicators of industrial-urban land use periods. Increases and peak abundance of non-arboreal weed pollen (Ambrosia) were identified as stratigraphic markers indicative of agricultural land uses. Twelve 14C dates from riparian soils indicated that the rise in non-arboreal pollen corresponds to the start of regional deforestation (AD 1749 +/- 56 cal yr; mean +/- 2 SD) and peak non-arboreal pollen concentration corresponds to maximum agricultural land use (AD 1820 +/- 51 cal yr). These indices were applied to elucidate the impact of land use on riparian sedimentation and soil carbon (C) dynamics. This analysis indicated that the majority of sediment and soil organic carbon (SOC) stored in regional riparian soils is of postcolonial origins. Mean net sedimentation rates increased -100-fold during postcolonial time periods, and net SOC sequestration rates showed an approximate 200-fold increase since precolonial times. These results suggest that headwater riparian zones have acted as an effective sink for alluvial sediment and SOC associated with postcolonial land use.

Auxin modification of the incompatibility response in Theobroma cacao.

The time course and control of floral abscission and fruit set in Theobroma cacao were studied after spray application of growth regulators. 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) prevented flower abscission in a concentration dependent manner and induced the early stages of fruit development. The cytokinin benzylaminopurine (BAP) counteracted NAA but resulted in longer fruit retention. Measurements of endogenous levels of indole-3-acetic acid showed an inverse correlation between the number of flowers per plant and auxin content. The results suggest that the genetic control of self-incompatibility in T. cacao may be modulated by the hormonal content of the flower.

[Parenteral, depot and repeatable forms of Parlodel LAR bromocriptine in the treatment of hyperprolactinemia syndrome. Comparison with oral Parlodel]. / Parenterální, depotní, opakovatelný bromokriptin Parlodel LAR v lécbe hyperprolaktinemického syndromu. Porovnání s perorálním Parlodelem.

Parenteral, depot, repeatable bromocriptine Parlodel LARR (PLO LAR) was used in the treatment of 10 women with hyperprolactinaemia. Two of them had previously an operation of a prolactinoma, eight did not have adenomas. Twenty eight days following administration of 50 mg PLO LAR, the PRL levels ere significantly lower than before treatment; in patients without adenomas they were quite normal. The action of the mentioned 50 mg PLO LAR corresponded roughly to a daily dose of 7.5 mg ParlodelR (PLO) by the oral route, i.e. in 28 days a total of 185 mg bromocriptine. After administration of five PLO LAR injections (50 and later 100 mg), the mean PRL levels in patients without adenomas were normal after 6 months. There were no significant nor pathological changes 28 days following i.m. PLO LAR 50 mg as regards T3, T4 levels, the blood sugar, cholesterol, FSH, LH, STH, TSH, testosterone cortisol, progesterone, 17 beta-estradiol, androstendione, 11 beta-OH androstendione, DHEA-S, 17 alpha-OH progesterone, aldosterone, 17-ketosteroids and 17-ketogenic steroids (in urine). LHRH + TRH + insulin tolerance tests were made repeatedly. Significant changes were found only in PRL levels (decline). In three amenorrhoic patients the originally low progesterone level rose significantly to levels of postovulation progesterone. One of these three women became pregnant after 18 years of unsuccessful treatment of sterility, incl. various oral dopaminergic preparations. The patients tolerated the preparation well and various biochemical and haematological tests were normal. The effect on galactorrhoea was favourable, seven amenorrhoic women had normal menstruation.

Endorphin releasers: a new possible approach to the treatment of pain after burns--a preliminary report.

Decapeptide ceruletide (CRL), chemically related to cholecystokinin and gastrin, proved to have remarkable analgesic properties when administered to a group of 22 burned patients, 15 patients with acute myocardial infarction, and 8 patients suffering from pain caused by malignant tumours with metastases. Its effect was such, that many of the patients required no other analgesics (opiates) even after a prolonged administration (up to 10 days) of CRL. In some of the patients a marked euphoria developed. There were no substantial changes in EEG records during CRL administration in 15 controls, among them 4 epileptics. It is probable that CRL helps to activate the internal analgesic system. In the burned patients cortisol, testosterone, renin, prolactin and tri-iodothyronine (T3) levels in serum (plasma) were measured (radio-immunoassays). CRL did not block the stress response (no drop of increased cortisol levels, no increase in low T3 levels), but it modified (influenced) it (drop of the high renin levels, and a tendency to increase the very low testosterone levels). CRL appears to act as an endorphin releaser, as evidenced by the plasma levels of beta-endorphins (quotations). CRL and similar drugs may represent a new, more physiological and probably safer approach to the management of pain.

Very low serum testosterone levels and severe impairment of spermatogenesis in burned male patients. Correlations with basal levels and levels of FSH, LH and PRL after LHRH + TRH.

The level of testosterone, FSH, LH and, in some cases, of PRL in serum was estimated in 39 burned male patients (mean burn index and S. E. was 31.5 +/- 2.5). The level of testosterone was found markedly decreased to a value as low as 0.19 ng ml-1, and such low level persisted for several weeks after the burn injury. At the same time the mean LH level was normal, while that of FSH decreased. However, in few patients high LH and PRL values were found. The dramatic drop of the level of testosterone and FSH began usually after the second postburn day. The administration of chorionic gonadotropin resulted in a marked elevation of testosterone level in less severely burned patients, while it was negligible in those severely burned. After LHRH plus TRH administration, the mean rise of LH level was almost normal, but FSH responded poorly. The lowest LH, FSH and PRL response was found during the 2nd and 3rd postburn week. The testes from 9 of the eleven patients that died were examined histologically, and no major histological alterations were found in those who died during the first 3 days after burn, while later a severe damage of germinal cells occurred. The pituitary-testicular axis does not operate properly after burn injuries. The main features of the endocrine (metabolic) response after burn are: 1. increased catabolism; 2. decreased anabolism; 3. changed endocrine priorities. To enable the survival an exaggerated response occurs very often with a possible resulting damage to some vital structures. Testosterone (anabolics) may be indicated in the treatment of burned patients.

Bromocriptine and glucose tolerance in acromegalics.

Acromegaly is very often accompanied by impaired glucose tolerance or a manifest diabetes mellitus, with increased immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels whose response during oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) is quite often exaggerated. When the dopaminergic drug bromocriptine is administered to acromegalics, their elevated growth hormone (GH) levels very often decrease, their impaired glucose tolerance (as manifested in OGTT) improves and their exaggerated IRI response becomes more normal. Eighteen patients were treated with bromocriptine. They were followed-up repeatedly during their treatment of varying duration for up to 6 years. These results indicate that raised GH levels are not the only factor that impairs glucose tolerance in acromegalics. During bromocriptine administration, impaired glucose tolerance improved and abnormal IRI levels (OGTT) became more normal even without any decrease in the high GH levels. In non-diabetic acromegalics, when bromocriptine was administered, there was not only an average decrease in the elevated GH values during OGTT, but a normalization of increased IRI values as well, without any major change in the corresponding blood glucose levels. During insulin tolerance tests (ITT), after i.v. insulin, the IRI levels after 30 and 60 min were markedly higher in acromegalics on bromocriptine than in the same patients before its administration, without any significant change in the corresponding blood glucose values. In 2 diabetic acromegalics, bromocriptine administration re-established their lost ability to increase IRI levels during OGTT. This was accompanied by a marked improvement in their glucose tolerance. It is probable that bromocriptine decreases glucagon levels in acromegalics, or at least in some of them. It is suggested that bromocriptine could protect the beta-cells of acromegalics from "exhaustion'.

[Effects of venous compression for blood sampling on the results of in vitro tests of thyroid function (author's transl)]. / Einfluss der Venenkompression bei der Blutentnahme auf die Ergebnisse der in vitro-Teste der Schilddrüsenfunktion.

In a group of subjects with a normal as well as pathological thyroid function there was a significant increase in RT3U, serum-thyroxine-concentrations and TSH-levels but there were no significant changes in the T4-RT3U-indices and ETR-tests after 5 min of venous compression. The discordant results were obtained in 21 cases (26.9%) with the RT3U-test and in 4 cases (5,1%) with the T4-serum-level-determination, which may cause diagnostic errors. The non-standardized venous compression time causes a widening of the euthyroid zone which reduces the discrimination capabilities of these function tests. With TSH-determinations these deviations may be of diagnostic importance in the evaluation of TRH-TSH-test results. A standardized and minimum compression time when drawing blood samples is recommended in order to eliminate this potential source of diagnostic error.