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The physiological consequences of drinking ethanol differ among men and women; however, the biological basis of this gender difference is unknown. Our study characterized sex‐related blood ethanol concentration (BEC) 60 min postethanol administration and ethanol elimination rates in male and female monkeys and across the phases of the menstrual cycle. Subjects were male (n= 4) and female (n= 4) cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) with a history of ethanol exposure and maintained at a lean body weight by food restriction. On three separate occasions, each monkey was administered 1.0 g/kg ethanol intragastrically and blood samples (20 μl) were collected every 60 min over a 5‐hr period. For females, three phases of the menstrual cycle were determined by the presence of menses and plasma progesterone levels. There was no effect of menstrual cycle on mean 60 min BECs or mean rates of elimination. Mean BECs 60 min after 1.0 g/kg ethanol were: males = 86 mg/dl (± 2; n= 4) and females = 82 mg/dl (± 5; n= 4). There was no effect of sex on the highest BEC measured, which occurred at the 60 min time point in all subjects. Female monkeys did have faster average rates of ethanol elimination [34 ± 2 (mg/dl)/hr] compared with males [23 ± 1 (mg/dl)/hr). The sex differences in metabolism of ethanol found with the macaque monkey model correlates well with human subject studies and suggests this is an appropriate model to further explore gender differences in response to ethanol.

This paper reports on the design and performance of an irrigation system associated with a rain shelter. The shelter is used in the closed position as a platform for multiple spray lines. This system automatically supplies, at a specified time, water of specified depth and delivery rate, either uniformly or on a specified gradient across the sheltered area. Variations in crop water deficits and yields have conformed closely to imposed water gradients.

1Carrageenin or 5‐hydroxytryptamine‐induced oedema of the mouse hind paw was antagonized by catecholamines acting on both α‐ and β‐adrenoceptors.2Increased permeability of the mouse peritoneum induced by the local injection of acetic acid or pro‐inflammatory mediators was antagonized by catecholamines acting predominantly on β‐adrenoceptors.3The anti‐inflammatory effect of catecholamines was due neither to hyper‐glycaemia nor to the release of adrenal cortical hormones.

The effects of Org 9426 (the 2-morpholino, 3-hydroxy, 16N-allyl pyrrolidino analogue of vecuronium) were studied in anaesthetized cats and pigs and in isolated nerve—muscle preparations using tension and intracellular recording techniques. In isolated preparations, the effects of Org 9426 were antagonized by neostigmine. No contracture of the chick muscle preparation occurred. Org 9426 reduced the amplitude of endplate currents (EPC) in rat and snake muscle, but had no major effects on EPC decay characteristics, indicating a lack of endplate channel blocking action. In anaesthetized animals, no fasciculations were observed and the neuromuscular block was associated with tetanic and train-of-four fade and was antagonized by neostigmine. In anaesthetized cats and pigs, Org 9426 was approximately 20% as potent as vecuronium, its onset of action was twice as rapid as that of vecuronium in the cat and its duration of action was similar to that of vecuronium in both cats and pigs. It blocked the bradycardia produced by vagal stimulation only in doses greater than those necessary to produce neuromuscular block (ratios 7.2 in the cat and 4.4 in the pig—10—14% of the corresponding ratios for vecuronium). Ganglion block was seen only at doses several times those producing vagal block. In general the effects of Org 9426 on the cardiovascular system were slight, a small depressor effect occurring at high doses in the cat. The 17-hydroxy analogue, the potential metabolite of Org 9426, was approximately 20 times less potent than Org 9426 and is thus unlikely to contribute to the neuromuscular block produced by the parent compound.