Paired human chorionic gonadotrophin determinations for the prediction of pregnancy outcome in assisted reproduction

The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of single and paired measurements of serum concentrations of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) for successful pregnancy following in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and tubal embryo transfer (TET). We analysed serum HCG concentrations 15 and 22 days after IVF or TET in 198 conception cycles. Cut-off values of serum HCG were determined by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. On the basis of single HCG samples on day 15 (HCG15) after transfer, using a cut-off value of HCG15 = 150 mIU/ml, the sensitivity was 71% and the specificity was 77%. The positive predictive value (HCG15 > or = 150 mIU/ml indicating a normal pregnancy) was 89%, while the negative predictive rate (HCG15 < 150 mIU/ml indicating an abnormal pregnancy) was 51%. Patients with HCG15 < 150 mIU/ml but HCG22/HCG15 ratio > or = 15, still had a 90% chance of normal pregnancy. However, in patients with HCG15 < 150 mIU/ml and an HCG22/HCG15 ratio < 15, there was an 84% chance of an abnormal pregnancy. We conclude that a single HCG15 determination combined with the ratio of HCG22 to HCG15 has a higher diagnostic accuracy for prediction of pregnancy outcome than either analysis alone.      

Total antioxidant status and nitric oxide do not increase in peritoneal fluids from women with endometriosis

To explore the role of nitric oxide (NO) and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of adhesion formation and in endometriosis-associated infertility, we examined the peritoneal total antioxidant status (TAS) and the concentrations of products of NO metabolism in women with endometriosis (early stage, n = 12; advanced stage, n = 12) and in fertile women without endometriosis (n = 10). Peritoneal CA 125 and oestrogen and progesterone concentrations were also measured to examine their contributions to TAS and the production of NO. We failed to demonstrate any significant difference in TAS and in the products of NO metabolism in peritoneal fluids among women with early and advanced stages of endometriosis compared with fertile women without endometriosis during the early follicular phase. TAS and the concentration of the products of NO metabolism were not related to concentrations of CA 125, oestrogen or progesterone. The concentration of CA 125 in serum, but not in peritoneal fluid, was positively correlated with the severity of endometriosis. The volume of peritoneal fluid and the progesterone concentration were significantly increased in the group with advanced endometriosis. TAS and the concentration of the products of NO metabolism did not increase in peritoneal fluids from women with endometriosis during the early follicular phase. Their role in the pathophysiology of endometriosis needs to be explored further.      

A single nucleotide polymorphism in APOA5 determines triglyceride levels in Hong Kong and Guangzhou Chinese

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) gene have been associated with hypertriglyceridaemia. We investigated which SNPs in the APOA5 gene were associated with triglyceride levels in two independent Chinese populations. In all, 1375 subjects in the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence Study were genotyped for five tagging SNPs chosen from HapMap. Replication was sought in 1996 subjects from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. Among the five SNPs, rs662799 (-1131T>C) was strongly related to log-transformed triglyceride levels among Hong Kong subjects (β=0.192, P=2.6 × 10⁻¹³). Plasma triglyceride level was 36.1% higher in CC compared to TT genotype. This association was confirmed in Guangzhou subjects (β=0.159, P=1.3 × 10⁻¹²), and was significantly irrespective of sex, age group, obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes, smoking and alcohol drinking. The odds ratios and 95% confidence interval for plasma triglycerides ≥1.7 mmol/l associated with TC and CC genotypes were, respectively, 1.81 (1.37–2.39) and 2.22 (1.44–3.43) in Hong Kong and 1.27 (1.05–1.54) and 1.97 (1.42–2.73) in Guangzhou. Haplotype analysis suggested the association was due to rs662799 only. The corroborative findings in two independent populations indicate that the APOA5-1131T>C polymorphism is an important and clinically relevant determinant of plasma triglyceride levels in the Chinese population.     

乌头碱致蟾蜍心律失常和抑制心脏收缩作用的毒性分析

目的 :分析乌头碱 (Ac)致心律失常和抑制心脏收缩的毒性作用。方法 :用 0 .0 1～ 10 0× 10 -5mol·L-1 Ac灌流蟾蜍心脏 ,观察 Ac抑制蟾蜍心脏收缩和致心律失常的量 -效反应。结果 :Ac抑制心脏收缩作用早于致心律失常。随浓度加大 ,心脏收缩的抑制率增强 (F测验 ,P<0 .0 1) ,室早和室颤潜伏期以及心抑潜伏期缩短 ,平均抑制速率加快 ,半平衡时间缩短。结论 :Ac抑制心脏收缩和致心律失常具有明显的量反应和时反应量 -效关系     

Dietary fish oil alters the sensitivity of guinea pig ileum to electrically driven contractions and 8-iso-PGE2

Dietary fish oil rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been positively implicated in bowel health. This was investigated in relation to newborn guinea pig growth, caecal digesta pH and SCFA profile, ileal total phospholipid fatty acid content and particularly for in vitro ileal contractility. A newly formulated commercial rice porridge (congee) preparation supplemented with essential nutrients, standard chow for palatability and 3% fat as safflower oil or tuna fish oil was fed to new born guinea pigs and their mothers. After two months of feeding, while the mean body weight and weight and length of small intestine of the fish oil supplemented group were significantly lower (P < 0.05) compared to the safflower supplemented group there was no difference in final small intestine density. Substitution of safflower oil with tuna fish oil led to significantly lower oleic acid content of ileum total phospholipid with a concomitant increase in the n-3 PUFA ALA, EPA and DHA (P < 0.05). The fish oil supplemented group had a significantly higher caecal digesta pH (P < 0.03) with a significantly lower propionate concentration (P < 0.04). Significantly less voltage was required to initiate contraction of the ileum of the fish oil supplemented group (P < 0.03). There was no significant difference in the sensitivity (EC₅₀) and maximal contraction induced by acetylcholine, histamine, serotonin, and prostaglandins PGE₂ or PGF₂. However, the sensitivity to the isoprostane, 8-iso-PGE₂ of the fish oil supplemented group was significantly reduced (P < 0.04). These results warrant further investigation into the physiological role that dietary n-3 PUFA may play in bowel contractility and health.     

吗啡增强谷氨酸单钠神经毒性及其作用机制

用皮层神经细胞体外培养、形态学观察、单个神经细胞内游离钙检测及乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)测定等方法,观察了吗啡对谷氨酸单钠(MSG)神经毒性增强作用以及纳洛酮对吗啡作用的逆转,分析了其可能的作用机制。结果表明:吗啡能显著增强的MSG的细胞毒作用.纳络酮可逆转这种增强作用,细胞内Ca²⁺超载可能是兴奋性神经毒素引起神经元死亡的共同病理学机制。     

In vivo and in vitro suppression of primary B lymphocytopoiesis by tumor-derived and recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor

Transplantation of a granulocytosis-inducing murine CE mammary carcinoma into mice suppresses primary B lymphopoiesis in the marrow. The mechanisms of this tumor-induced B-cell suppression were investigated using Whitlock-Witte-type lymphoid cultures. When seeded with normal marrow progenitors, stromal cells of tumor-bearing mice supported the production of B220+ cells as well as did either stomal cells derived from control mice or the stromal cell line S17. Cultured over normal stroma, marrow cells of tumor-bearing mice depleted of adherent cells and B220+ cells generated B220+ cells as effectively as a similar cell population from control mice. However, interleukin-7- responsive progenitors, were completely depleted from the marrow of tumor-bearing mice. When conditioned medium (CM) of cloned CE tumor cells known to produce granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and macrophage-CSF, or recombinant murine G-CSF was added to the cultures established with S17 cells, B220+ cell production was significantly diminished. Antiserum to murine G-CSF blocked these effects. These in vitro observations were corroborated by the elimination of marrow B220+ cells in mice injected with G-CSF. These in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that G-CSF plays an inhibitory role in primary B lymphopoiesis by blocking stromal cell-mediated differentiation of early B-cell progenitors into phenotypically recognizable B220+ pre-B cells.     

Analysis of interphase cells for the Philadelphia translocation using painting probe made by inter-Alu-polymerase chain reaction from a radiation hybrid

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probe for the identification of the Philadelphia (Ph) translocation [t(9;22) (q34;q11)] in chronic myelogenous leukemia cells was developed by inter-Alu-polymerase chain reaction of DNA from an interspecific somatic cell hybrid containing approximately 5 Mb of human DNA covering the ABL gene region on human chromosome 9q34. This probe was large enough to be effective in identifying the genomic domains yet small enough to resolve them in more than 90% of bone marrow interphase cells. Combination of the probe with a cosmid contig probe for the BCR region of chromosome 22 in two- color FISH reduced the frequency of false-positive identification of the Ph chromosome to less than 1%. The procedure allows detection of as few as 1% Ph+ cells independent of the cycling status or BCR/ABL expression level of cells, and the quantitation of non-Ph chromosome- containing interphase nuclei in the marrow of patients judged 100% Ph+ by standard cytogenetics.