Stratospheric Fallout of Strontium-89 and Barium-140

A series of nuclear test explosions which occurred in the fall of 1958 caused a very large increase of Sr(89) and Ba(140) in the stratosphere. The Ba(140)/Sr(89) ratio in the stratosphere, and hence in the troposphere, has decreased steadily since then with a half-life of approximately 17 days.

Radioactivity of people and foods

Measurements of the cesium-137 content of people and of foodstuffs indicate that this nuclide is unlikely to be a decisive factor in the long-term hazards from weapons testing and reactor waste disposal. The amount of cesium-137 now present in the population of the United States averages 0.006 microcurie and shows no marked dependence on geographic location. The average radiation dose received from cesium-137 is one-twentieth of that received from natural radiopotassium and 1 percent of the average total dose from all natural sources. Because of the short biological half-life of cesium of about 140 days, it does not accumulate in the body as does strontium-90. The study of the distribution of cesium-137 is being continued to furnish information on the mechanisms of the fallout process and provide a measure of the rate of fallout and of stratospheric storage.

Efficiency of glutamyl peptide polymers as plasma volume extenders

A series of polymers of polyglutamic acid have been tested as plasma volume expanders. The results indicate that those polymers prepared from backbones of 40,000 molecular weight or over and side chains of 3,000 molecular weight or over, will have plasma volume retention half-life of 15 hours or longer. Measurements of the oncotic efficiency of these polymers in vivo indicated a blood stream fluid retention of approximately 51 ml./gm. of polymer. Similar measurements of polymer-serum albumin solutions in vitro showed a retention of 52 ml./gm. of polymer. The clinical response to infusion of solutions of these polymers indicated no untoward pharmacological properties. Although the number of trials presented is too small for ultimate conclusion regarding either the physiological or clinical effects of these polymers, they do provide a strong indication of the desirability of further clinical testing of this polymer and a sound basis on which to plan the larger scale preparation of polymer. Both measures are currently under way.

Studies on copper metabolism. XIX. The kinetics of iron metabolism and erythrocyte life-span in copper-deficient swine

Ferrokinetic studies were performed in three copper-deficient swine and the results have been compared with similar studies in 18 normal pigs. The mean value for the plasma iron turnover rate in the deficient swine was 1.76 mg./kg. day; for the red cell iron incorporation rate, 1.24 mg./kg. day; for the red cell iron turnover rate, 1.18 mg./kg. day; for the red cell life span, 13 days. Corresponding figures in the normal swine were 1.11 mg./kg. day, 1.01 mg./kg. day, 0.59 mg./kg. day and 63 days, respectively. The red cell life span was measured by the use of radioactive chromium in a total of 26 pigs. The mean erythrocyte half-life of normal cells transfused into normal pigs was 17 days. The mean half-life of erythrocytes from copperdeficient swine transfused into copper-deficient swine was 9 days. The mean half-life of red cells from control animals transfused into copper-deficient swine was 16 days while that of erythrocytes from copper-deficient swine transfused into normal pigs, was 13 days. The mean half-life of cells from iron-deficient pigs transfused into iron-deficient pigs was 19 days. It is concluded that copper deficiency anemia results from both a shortened erythrocyte survival time and limited capacity of the bone marrow to produce red cells. It is suggested that copper is an essential component of erythrocytes in swine.