Photoaffinity labelling of androgen receptors with 17 beta-hydroxy-17 alpha-[3H]methyl-4,9,11-estratrien-3-one

The synthetic androgen 17 beta-hydroxy-17 alpha-[3H]methyl-4,9,11-estratrien-3-one (R1881) has been used as photoaffinity label to characterize androgen receptors in calf uterus and rat prostate. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions showed that the DNA-binding form of the androgen receptor in calf uterus cytosol is a protein with a molecular mass of 98 kD. In rat prostate cytosol an androgen receptor with a molecular mass of 46 kD could be photoaffinity labelled with R1881. The photoaffinity labelling procedure described here provides a method for studying the hormone binding domain of androgen receptors in partial purified preparations.     

No narcosis for bone marrow harvest in autologous bone marrow transplantation

A prospective study with mild general analgesia and sedation together with local anesthesia during bone marrow harvest was performed. Thirty-one patients underwent 33 bone marrow collections. Pretreatment consisted of 100 mg meperidine i.m. and 20 mg diazepam i.m. 1 h before start of procedure. Eight patients got additional meperidine and diazepam during the procedure, all patients got lidocaine 1% locally. A mean volume of 1.321 was obtained with 42.5 punctures. Twenty-two patients had no complications, 4 vomited, 4 had easily correctable hypotension of short duration, one got oxygen for cyanosis of short duration. Acceptance was good in 23 patients, in 6 reasonably well, in two bad. Only one patient experienced pain problems, due to suction. Anxiety was no major problem due to good information before the procedure and mild sedation. This form of anesthesia for bone marrow collection is a safe procedure, it is generally well accepted by the patient and it can be performed on an out-patient basis.     

Acidification and alkalinization of soils

Acidification or alkalinization of soils occurs through H⁺ transfer processes involving vegetation, soil solution and soil minerals. A permanent change in the acid neutralizing capacity of the inorganic soil fraction (ANC_(s)),i.e. soil acidification (ΔANC<0) or soil alkalinization (ΔANC>0), results from an irreversible H⁺ flux. This irreversible H⁺ flux can be caused either by direct proton addition or depletion, by different mobility of components of the ANC_(s) or by a permanent change in redox conditions. The contributions of (a) acidic atmospheric deposition, (b) nitrogen transformations, (c) deprotonation of CO₂ and of organic acids and protonation of their conjugate bases, (d) assimilation of cations and anions by the vegetation, (e) weathering or reverse weathering of minerals and (f) stream output to changes in the ANC_(s) are illustrated by means of H⁺ budgets for actual soils and watersheds.     

Changes in basin geomorphology after implementation of the Oosterschelde estuary project

The completion in 1986/87 of an open storm-surge barrier in the inlet and of secondary dams in the landward parts of the Oosterschelde tidal basin (SW Netherlands) has had and will continue to have a significant impact on geomorphological developments. An analysis of historic data, and of recent detailed bathymetric and morphodynamic process data, indicates that former trends have reversed. At present the Oosterschelde is a sedimentation basin with a degrading intertidal area and silting up of channels. The continuing reduction in intertidal area, the decreasing geomorphological gradients, the increasing fine sediment content of channel deposits, combined with a general reduction in hydrodynamics, imply significant ecological effects.