No abstract

A single-dose, double-blind, randomized, parallel trial was conducted to compare the analgesic efficacy of oral ibuprofen (I) 100, 200, or 400 mg, aspirin (ASA) 650 mg, and placebo in moderate to severe pain after extraction of impacted teeth. Subjective, self-evaluated pain intensity and pain relief reports, hourly for 6 hours, were used as indexes of analgesic response. Data on 227 evaluable patients showed significant differences among the 4 active treatments and placebo (p less than 0.001) by most measurements of analgesia. Although no consistent, significant differences were observed among the active drugs, I 400 mg performed the best, followed by I 200 mg, ASA 650 mg, and I 100 mg. Remedication was required by 59% patients receiving I 400 mg, 67% taking I 200 mg, 73% taking ASA 650 mg, 74% taking I 100 mg, and 96% receiving placebo. Differences between I 400 mg and I 100 mg were significant for remedication data (p less than 0.05). Side effects were minor, infrequent, and not dose related. In this study, I 100 mg was distinctly superior to placebo and probably as effective as ASA 650 mg in relieving pain. Only a shallow dose response of ibuprofen was observed.

No abstract

Prudhoe Bay crude oil (PBCO) and its aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic fractions were tested on the developing chick embryo for (i) embryotoxicity (ii) their ability to induce hepatic and renal cytochrome P450 levels as well as hepatic, renal and pulmonary aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities. On the basis of its concentration in PBCO, the aromatic fraction was responsible for most of the embryotoxicity as well as for the enzyme inducing ability. The NOS fraction constituted less than 7% (w/v) of PBCO but, on a weight equivalent basis, was roughly as potent as the aromatic fraction in causing embryotoxicity and in inducing cytochrome P450 levels and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase. The aliphatic fraction was found to be essentially inactive. The results are consistent with the concept that elevation of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase levels by certain components of PBCO may lead to increased embryotoxicity.

Digestion in the larger black flour beetle, Cynaeus angustus (LeConte), was studied to identify new control methods for this pest of stored grains and grain products. The physiological pH of the larval gut, as measured with extracts in water, was approximately 6.1, and the pH for optimal hydrolysis of casein by gut extracts was 6.2 when buffers were reducing. However, under non-reducing conditions, hydrolysis of casein and synthetic serine proteinase substrates was optimal in alkaline buffer. Three major proteinase activities were observed in zymograms using casein or gelatin. Caseinolytic activity of C. angustus gut extracts was inhibited by inhibitors that target aspartic and serine proteinase classes, with minor inhibition by a cysteine proteinase inhibitor. In particular, soybean trypsin and trypsin/chymotrypsin inhibitors were most effective in reducing the in vitro caseinolytic activity of gut extracts. Based on these data, further studies are suggested on the effects of dietary soybean inhibitors of serine proteinases, singly and in combination with aspartic and cysteine proteinase inhibitors, on C. angustus larvae. Results from these studies can be used to develop new control strategies to prevent damage to grains and stored products by C. angustus and similar coleopteran pests.