Preliminary studies of sperm cryopreservation in the mushroom coral, Fungia scutaria

Coral species throughout the world are facing severe environmental pressures. Because of this, we began cryobiological studies on the sperm of the mushroom coral, Fungia scutaria. We determined that F. scutaria sperm had a mean length of 56 microm and head diameter of 2.5 microm, and a mean spontaneous ice nucleation temperature of -37.2 +/- 1.7 degrees C. When the sperm were exposed to the cryoprotectant glycerol for 5 or 20 min (at 10% v/v), no fertilized larvae were produced. However, when sperm were exposed for 20 min to propylene glycol (10% v/v), fertilizations were produced at the same rate as untreated control eggs and sperm (P > 0.05), but slightly less for dimethyl sulfoxide (10% v/v) (P < 0.05). Regardless, dimethyl sulfoxide caused less osmotic damage to the sperm membrane than did propylene glycol. Therefore, we used the dimethyl sulfoxide (10% v/v) to develop cryopreservation protocols that yielded good post-thaw morphology and motility (>95%) for coral sperm.

The retail cost of antihypertensive therapy. Physician and patient as educated consumers

The retail cost for antihypertensive medication in the Cincinnati area was examined using a questionnaire sent to 20 local pharmacies asking them to provide the cost to the patient for a 30-day supply of medication. Six pharmacies responded, providing a detailed list of drug prices. The price for a given drug varies considerably from pharmacy to pharmacy, with generics having the greatest variability. There are also large differences between agents within a drug class, leading to overlap between classes. Some diuretics and beta-blockers are more expensive than angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or calcium-channel blockers. For some agents a dose increase costs nothing, whereas for others it dramatically increases the cost. The price structure for antihypertensive agents is complex. Without detailed and current information, a physician will find it difficult to estimate the cost of a given prescription.

Occupational hazards of missile operations with special regard to the hydrazine propellants

The second generation of ballistic missiles and boosters, characterized by increased range and quick reaction capability, required the development of new high-energy storage propellants. This exploration led to the introduction of hydrazine (Hz), monomethylhydrazine (MMH), and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) into the USAF inventory. These compounds are all storable, noncryogenic, high-energy fuels which may be used alone or in combination as mixed amine fuels. Early toxicology experiments were to produce data on acute and subacute effects of the propellants in order to set standards for test and operational procedures to protect propellant handlers. The early work indicated that, despite similar chemical characteristics, there were marked differences between the compounds in terms of toxicological mechanisms. Since the propellant systems have been used for some 15 years, recent emphasis on toxicology has been centered on the more chronic effects and on an increasing body of evidence from animal experiments that the compounds may possess oncogenic potential as well as chronic systemic effects. This paper addresses itself to data leading up to current occupational standards.