Serum concentrations of oestradiol-17beta, progesterone, relaxin and chorionic gonadotrophin during blastocyst implantation in natural pregnancy cycle and in embryo transfer cycle in the rhesus monkey

The present study was undertaken to assess the temporal association between the profiles of serum concentrations of oestradiol-17beta, progesterone, chorionic gonadotrophin (CG) and relaxin in pregnancies established naturally, and after embryo transfer, as well as in failed pregnancies in rhesus monkeys. In naturally mated cycles (group 1) a conception rate of 75% was obtained. In group 1, the mean day of CG detection in serum was 11.5 +/- 1.9 day post-ovulation, and for relaxin, 9.0 +/- 2.5 day post-ovulation. In group 2, embryo transfer to synchronous, non-mated surrogate recipients was performed; seven embryo transfer cycles yielded three pregnancies which were allowed to continue to term and normal infants were delivered. In embryo transfer cycles the mean day of CG detection was 14.8 +/- 1.8 day post- ovulation, and for relaxin, 11.4 +/- 2.6 day post-ovulation. A delay of about 3 days was observed in the appearance in circulation of CG (P < 0.05) and also of relaxin (P < 0.05) between natural mated and embryo transfer conception cycles. Significant differences (P < 0.05 for progesterone and P < 0.03 for oestradiol) were obtained for the areas under the curves for progesterone and oestradiol between days 12 and 16 in conception cycles compared with failed pregnancies. These data provide the first observation of the normal hormonal signals associated with maternal recognition of transferred embryos during the peri- implantation period, and suggest that the use of such an experimental primate embryo transfer model may help to elucidate components of maternal and embryonic signal-response mechanisms during embryo implantation.      

Tourniquet inflation after intra-articular morphine and bupivacaine administration following knee arthroscopy

We performed a randomized doubled-blind study to evaluate whether there was a benefit in delay in tourniquet deflation with intra-articular administration of morphine and bupivacaine following operative arthroscopic surgery. In 34 patients the tourniquet was deflated immediately and in 38 patients the tourniquet remained inflated for 10 min following injection. The analgesic efficacy was assessed using pain scores and the amount of supplementary analgesia required. The results demonstrate no benefit in delay in tourniquet deflation.     

A man with isochromosome Xq Klinefelter syndrome with lack of height increase and normal androgenization

We report on a patient with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) and the homogeneous aneuploidy 47,Xi(Xq)Y, or male trisomy Xq. He had many characteristics of classical KS: small testes, azoospermia, elevated FSH and LH, average intelligence, and normal androgenization, but his stature was not increased, compared with his father's and brothers'. The i(Xq), found in all cells analyzed, was late-replicating, monocentric, and also asymmetric for the RBG-banding of the two arms, indicating a different chronology of DNA synthesis in each arm. When indicated, in the seven previously reported cases, the level of plasma testosterone was always subnormal; it was normal (650 ng/100 ml) in our patient, who had normal masculinization. Thus the level of testosterone among patients with KS is not necessarily lower with an extra Xq. Furthermore, the sharp contrast in the height of KS patients with or without an i(Xq) is striking. It appears definitely possible to associate the isochromosome Xq Klinefelter syndrome with a lack of height increase.     

急性有机磷农药中毒120例的救治

0　引言　近年来 ,我科在救治急性有机磷农药 (organophos-phorus,OP)中毒方面 ,积累了一些经验 ,现报告如下 .1　对象和方法1 .1　对象　本组 1 2 0例符合《急诊急救学》中的诊断标准 [1 ](男 2 9例 ,女 91例 ) ,年龄 1 .5～ 70岁 ,平均 2 8.6岁 .经口中毒 99例 ,经皮肤中毒 2 1例 .轻度中毒 1 5例 ,中度中毒 42例 ,重度 (含极重度 )中毒 6 3例 . 1 996年 39例 ,1 997年 43例 ,1 998年 38例 . DDV 79例 ,乐果 2 0例 ,混合性中毒 1 0例 ,水胺磷 3例 ,氧化乐果、 391 1、 1 0 5 9、对硫磷各 2例 ,敌百虫 1例 ,药名不详 1 0例 .服毒量 >2 5 …     

Short-term oxidative status of lens and aqueous humor after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy

PURPOSE: Oxidation in the anterior ocular segment is associated with cataractogenesis and possible complications to corneal endothelium. We investigated whether oxidation occurred in the rabbit anterior ocular segment shortly after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). METHODS: Rabbits were treated unilaterally with PRK, the other eye serving as a control. Aqueous humor sampled shortly after treatment was assayed spectrophotometrically for hydrogen peroxide using ferrous oxidation in xylenol in the presence (group 1; n=10), or absence of oxygen (group 2; n=8). Oxidized glutathione and malondialdehyde levels were measured in lenses by spectrophotometry and HPLC. RESULTS: Hydrogen peroxide concentration of aqueous humor was not different between treated (77 +/- 36 microM) and control eyes (88 +/- 34 microM) in the oxygen group or the nonoxygenated group (treated eyes: 6.7 +/- 5.4 microM and control eyes: 5.5 +/- 4.7 microM). Peroxide levels did not correspond to endogenous H2O2 but presumably reflected action on ascorbic acid. There was no difference in the percent of oxidized glutathione between experimental and control eyes. Malondialdehyde could not be detected in the lens of treated or control eyes, despite good sensitivity in recovery assays. CONCLUSION: Based on these assays, there is no evidence that PRK oxidizes the aqueous humor or the lens of treated rabbits within 10 minutes of treatment.     

Hydrogen peroxide inhibits gap junctional intercellular communication in glutathione sufficient but not glutathione deficient cells

Cell to cell communication via gap junctions is essential in the maintenance of the homeostatic balance of multicellular organisms. Aberrant intercellular gap junctional communication (GJIC) has been implicated in tumor promotion, neuropathy and teratogenesis. Oxidative stress has also been implicated in similar pathologies such as cancer. We report a potential link between oxidative stress and GJIC. Hydrogen peroxide, a known tumor promoter, inhibited GJIC in WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells with an I50 value of 200 microM. Inhibition of GJIC by H2O2 was reversible as indicated by the complete recovery of GJIC with the removal of H2O2 via a change of fresh media. Free radical scavengers, such as t-butyl alcohol, propylgallate, and Trolox, did not prevent the inhibition of GJIC by H2O2, which indicated that the effects of H2O2 on GJIC was probably not a consequence of aqueous free radical damage. The depletion of intracellular GSH reversed the inhibitory effect of H2O2 on GJIC. The treatment of glutathione- sufficient cells with H2O2 resulted in the hyperphosphorylation of connexin43, which is the basic subunit of the hexameric gap junction protein, as determined by Western blot analysis. TPA, a well-known tumor promoter, also inhibits GJIC via hyperphosphorylation of GJIC, which is a result of protein kinase-C activation. However, H2O2 also induced hyperphosphorylation in GSH-deficient cells that had normal rates of GJIC. Therefore, the mechanism of GJIC inhibition must be different from the TPA-pathway and involves GSH.      

Angiogenic factors stimulate mast-cell migration

Mast cells accumulate at sites of angiogenesis. The factor(s) that control mast-cell recruitment at these sites have yet to be defined. We sought to determine if angiogenic factors result in mast-cell chemotaxis. In this study, we observed that platelet-derived growth factor-AB (PDGF-AB), vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) each cause directed migration of murine mast cells at picomolar concentrations, with a typical bell- shaped dose-response curve. Another potent angiogenic factor, platelet- derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), appears to promote chemokinesis of mast cells, whereas tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a weak angiogenic factor, is less robust but still functions as a mast cell chemotactic factor. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a growth factor with minimal angiogenic properties, was ineffective as a mast cell chemotactic factor. A checkerboard analysis confirmed the directional chemotactic response of PDGF-AB, VEGF, and bFGF, while indicating the chemokinetic response induced by PD-ECGF. Cross-desensitization of growth-factor-induced directed migration was observed between PDGF-AB and bFGF, and also between PDGF-AB and PD-ECGF. Tyrosine kinase- inhibitor genistein effectively dampened the chemotactic responses, whereas pertussis toxin had no effect. In summary, our findings suggest that factors known to act on endothelial cells and stimulate neovascularization may simultaneously serve to recruit mast cells to these sites. The local accumulation of mast cells is believed to facilitate new vessel formation through complex cell:cell interactions.     

Fluorescence in situ hybridization mapping of translocations and deletions involving the short arm of human chromosome 12 in malignant hematologic diseases

Translocations and deletions of the short arm of chromosome 12 [t(12p) and del(12p)] are common recurring abnormalities in a broad spectrum of hematologic malignant diseases. We studied 20 patients and one cell line whose cells contained 12p13 translocations and/or 12p deletions using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with phage, plasmid, and cosmid probes that we previously mapped and ordered on 12p12-13. FISH analysis showed that the 12p13 translocation breakpoints were clustered between two cosmids, D12S133 and D12S142, in 11 of 12 patients and in one cell line. FISH analysis of 11 patients with deletions demonstrated that the deletions were interstitial rather than terminal and that the distal part of 12p12, including the GDI-D4 gene and D12S54 marker, was deleted in all 11 patients. Moreover, FISH analysis showed that cells from 3 of these patients contained both a del(12p) and a 12p13 translocation and that the affected regions of these rearrangements appeared to overlap. We identified three yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones that span all the 12p13 translocation breakpoints mapped between D12S133 and D12S142. They have inserts of human DNA between 1.39 and 1.67 Mb. Because the region between D12S133 and D12S142 also represents the telomeric border of the smallest commonly deleted region of 12p, we also studied patients with a del(12p) using these YACs. The smallest YAC, 964c10, was deleted in 8 of 9 patients studied. In the other patient, the YAC labeled the del(12p) chromosome more weakly than the normal chromosome 12, suggesting that a part of the YAC was deleted. Thus, most 12p13 translocation breakpoints were clustered within the sequences contained in the 1.39 Mb YAC and this YAC appears to include the telomeric border of the smallest commonly deleted region. Whether the same gene is involved in both the translocations and deletions is presently unknown.