Search

The article presents two parallel epidemiological investigations of the prevalence of alcoholism in the same London borough, England. The first is an inquiry into several reporting agencies such as courts, clergy or employers the number of cases of individuals with drinking problems coming to their notice within the period of April 1, 1965 to March 31, 1966, while the second study involved a house-to-house interviewing of subjects' own report of troubles experienced with drinking during the previous 12 months. The reporting agency surveys revealed an overall prevalence rate of 4.7 percent per 1,000 adults aged over 16. The house-to-house survey gave an overall prevalence rate of 31.3 percent of problem drinking per 1,000 adults aged 18.

The article focuses on the census of the number of reception centers in Great Britain. The Reception Centers are being asked to perform so many different functions. Hostel care is at the forefront of thinking in many different fields. Under one roof are being performed the function of an old people's home, lodging, house for the itinerant laborer, alcoholism rehabilitation center, and mental after-care hostel. Among the centers include London-born and London-immigrant, men with drinking problems, and ex-prisoners.

A 100-fold purification of a reduced triphosphopyridine nucleotide/3-methyleneoxindole reductase of peas has been achieved using conventional protein fractionation procedures. Reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide is 25-fold less effective than reduced triphosphopyridine nucleotide as the reductant. The preparation is free of other reductase activities including those linking the oxidation of reduced pyridine nucleotide coenzymes to the reduction of cytochrome c; vitamins K(1), K(2), and K(3); O(2); nitrate; oxidized glutathione; and thiazolyl blue tetrazolium. The affinity of the enzyme for 3-methyleneoxindole (K(s) = 0.5 mm 3-methyleneoxindole) is relatively high. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that 3-methyleneoxindole is the normal substrate.The enzyme is inhibited by indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-aldehyde, and by l-naph-thaleneacetic acid. While these are not especially powerful inhibitors (K(1) = 1.9-4.0 mm) the competitive relationship with 3-methyleneoxindole indicates that significant inhibition might occur at low intracellular concentrations of the substrate.