Incipient ovarian failure associated with raised levels of follicle stimulating hormone and reduced levels of inhibin A in older sheep

In women there is a gradual rise in the basal level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in the years prior to the menopause (pre- menopause) which is thought to be due to a relative lack of ovarian factors reflecting the number of antral follicles present in the ovaries. Experimental animal models for this phenomenon, particularly in mono-ovulatory species, have been lacking due to most animals' relatively short life span. We have available a group of experimental ewes in which the right ovary was removed and the left ovary was autotransplanted to the neck at least 10 years previously, which have been maintained in good health until an age of 12-13 years. Two experiments were conducted with these animals to determine the endocrine and follicular effects of age: a retrospective experiment in the same Finn-Merino ewes (n = 5) when the animals were 6-7 or 12-13 years of age; and a cohort experiment in old (12-13 years, n = 6) and young (2 years, n = 5) ewes of the same breed. In both retrospective and cohort experiments, the concentrations of FSH were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in older animals during the luteal phase when oestradiol secretion was low. This increase in FSH was associated with a decrease in the concentration of inhibin A (P < 0.05) in older animals in both the follicular and luteal stages of the cycle but the concentrations of oestradiol were similar between ages. Although there were significantly fewer antral follicles (P < 0.05) available for development in older ewes during the early luteal phase of the cycle, the ovulation rate was similar to that observed in younger animals (2.0+/-0 vs 2.0+/-4; P > 0.05) but the interval from luteal regression to the onset of the LH surge was longer (P < 0.05) in older animals. In conclusion, the endocrine changes associated with increasing reproductive age in sheep are therefore similar to those observed in women, suggesting that the sheep could be a useful animal model to study the effect of age on human fertility.      

Identification of Isolates of Streptococcus canis Infecting Humans

During a survey of Group G and C streptococcal infections of humans two epidemiologically unrelated Group G streptococcal isolates were identified, one from a case of bacteremia and one from a wound infection. These isolates were atypical among this sample in that the emm gene could not be amplified from them by PCR. Biochemical characterization identified the isolates as Streptococcus canis, an organism normally associated with animal hosts. The biochemical identification was confirmed by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from both isolates and comparison with sequences of the S. canis type strain and other related streptococci of animals and humans. Comparative sequencing of fragments of two other housekeeping genes, sodA and mutS, confirmed that the isolates are most closely related to S. canis. The identification of two isolates of S. canis from a relatively small sample set suggests that the practice of identifying streptococci only by the Lancefield serological group may result in underestimation of the presence of S. canis in the human population.     

Urinary N-acetyl-beta -D-glucosaminidase and its isoenzymes A & B in workers exposed to cadmium at cadmium plating

Objective  

The present study was carried out to determine the effect of cadmium exposure on Urinary N-acetyl-beta -D-glucosaminidase and its isoenzymes A and B in workers exposed at cadmium plating.     

Quality of life and post trauma symptomatology in motor vehicle accident survivors: the mediating effects of depression and anxiety

We examined the respective contributions of depression, anxiety, and post-trauma symptoms, as these factors reduce quality of life (QOL) in 111 individuals who had experienced a serious motor vehicle accident. Correlations and structural equation modeling were used to evaluate whether the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms influences QOL directly, and whether depression and anxiety mediated this relationship. Results indicated that post trauma symptomatology has a negative effect on QOL, which is mediated by depression and anxiety.     

Tissue Doppler imaging describes diastolic function in men prone to develop hypertension over twenty years.

AIMS: Hypertension is one of several risk factors of cardiovascular disease and is associated with left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic dysfunction. A method for reliably detecting the onset of LV dysfunction before transition to irreversible damage of the myocardium would be of crucial importance in subjects with essential hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS: Subjects with clear differences in BP level, development and duration of the hypertensive disease were examined at the age of 60 yrs: normotensives (n = 17), new hypertensives who developed hypertension over a 20 year period (n = 15) and hypertensives (n = 19). Relationships between conventional echocardiographic and tissue velocities imaging (TVI) parameters compared to LV parameters, and TVI as an estimate of LV function were explored. E'(Lat) (TVI peak early diastolic velocity) (P = 0.006) and E/E'(Lat) (P = 0.002) demonstrated differences in diastolic function between the groups. There were no significant differences regarding systolic myocardial velocities. E'(Lat) correlated to S'(Lat) (TDI peak systolic velocity) (r = 0.32, P = 0.026) and was independently predicted by S'(Lat) (R(2) = 0.24, P = 0.025) in multivariate analysis. E'(Lat) correlated negatively to LV mass index (r = -0.34, P = 0.012), also in multivariate regression analysis (R(2) = 0.12, P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial diastolic velocities and mitral flow to annulus velocity ratio differentiated LV function between the hypertensive and normotensive groups. The parameters probably reflect changes in relaxation, recoil and contraction and parallel changes in LV mass index.