We examined serum bilirubin and various liver-function enzymes as possible risk factors for angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD). The studies involved a "training" set of 619 men for whom complete data on all risk factors considered were available, and a "test" set of 258 men for whom some risk factor data were not available. In both study groups, the liver enzymes were not related to CAD; however, In[total bilirubin] was inversely and statistically significantly related to the presence of CAD, both univariately and multivariately after adjustment for the established risk factors of age, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking history, and systolic blood pressure. A 50% decrease in total bilirubin was associated with a 47% increase in the odds of being in a more severe CAD category. Our data suggest that serum bilirubin is an inverse and independent risk factor for CAD, with an association equivalent in degree to that of systolic blood pressure.

Objective: To determine the qualitative and quantitative microbiology of core adenoid tissue obtained from four groups of 15 children each, with recurrent otitis media (ROM), recurrent adenotonsillitis (RAT), obstructive adenoid hypertrophy (OAH), and occlusion or speech abnormalities (controls). Methods: Core cultures of surgically removed diseased adenoids and of healthy controls were cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Results: Polymicrobial aerobic-anaerobic flora were present in all instances. Ninety-four organisms were isolated from control specimens, and 148 from ROM, 142 from RAT, and 149 from OAH specimens. The predominant aerobes in all groups were ␣-hemolytic and ␥-hemolytic streptococci, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, group A ␤-hemolytic streptococci, and Moraxella catarrhalis. The prominent anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus, Prevotella, and Fusobacterium species. The number, concentration and distribution of types of most organisms did not vary among the three groups of diseased adenoids. However, the number of those that are potential pathogens and those that produced ␤-lactamase was lower in the control than the diseased adenoids (P < .001). Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of the bacterial load in the adenoids in contributing to the etiology of ROM, RAT, and OAH.

A novel [Co(pentaamine)Cl](2+) complex having all tertiary amine or pyridine donors has been synthesized (pentaamine = 1,4-bis(2'-pyridyl)-7-methyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane). This asym-[Co(dmpmetacn)Cl](2+) species has been completely characterized through 1D and 2D NMR studies, and through the X-ray structure for the ZnCl(4)(2)(-) salt. Despite the lack of an activating NH center, remarkably its hydrolysis to [Co(pentaamine)OH](2+) is base catalyzed (k(OH) 0.70 M(-)(1) s(-)(1), 25 degrees C, I = 1.0 M, NaCl). Detailed NMR studies reveal that the base catalyzed substitution leads to the exchange of just one deuterium in one of the two -CH(2)- pyridyl arms, that is approximately trans to the leaving group, and this occurs during and not after base hydrolysis. Quenching experiments for the reaction of asym-[Co(dmpmetacn)Cl](2+) and control experiments on H/D exchange for the product asym-[Co(dmpmetacn)OD](2+) in OD(-) show that each act of deprotonation at the acidic methylene leads to loss of Cl(-). This is the first established case of base catalyzed substitution for a complex where the effective site of deprotonation is at a pyridyl group. A pronounced kinetic isotope effect is observed for the species perdeuterated at the pyridyl methylenes (k(H)/k(D) = 5.0), consistent with rate limiting deprotonation which is a rare event in Co(III) substitution chemistry. The activation afforded by the carbanion is discussed in terms of a new process coined the pseudo-aminate mechanism.

The objective of the experiment was to examine the interaction of endophyte-infected tall fescue and environmental temperature on follicular and luteal development and function in beef heifers. Heifers were fed endophyte-free or endophyte-infected tall fescue seed at thermoneutral or heat stress temperatures (n = 6/treatment) 4 wk before and 3 wk after synchronized ovulation. All heifers were subjected to thermoneutral conditions (19 degrees C, 50% relative humidity) from Days -7 to -2; temperature increased incrementally from Days -1 to 0 and cycled between 25 degrees C and 31 degrees C between Days 1 and 20 for heat-stressed heifers. Serum was collected and ovaries monitored every other day after induced luteolysis between Days 1 and 23 or until ovulation. Size and location of follicles >4 mm and corpora lutea were recorded. Serum concentrations of prolactin were reduced in heat-stressed heifers fed infected seed and both heat stress and infected seed decreased total cholesterol. Rectal temperature and respiration rate were greatest in heifers fed the infected seed when exposed to maximal temperatures. Heat stress led to reduced diameter of the corpus luteum and serum progesterone compared with thermoneutral conditions. Progesterone was reduced more so in heifers fed infected seed. The combination of infected seed and heat stress was associated with reduced diameter of the preovulatory dominant follicle, and consumption of infected seed led to fewer large follicles during the estrous cycle. Both stressors led to reduced serum estradiol. Impaired follicle function may explain reduced pregnancy rates commonly observed in heifers grazing infected tall fescue pasture.