The treatment of Meniere's disease by acupuncture

34 patients suffering from Meniere's disease were treated by acupuncture. Prior to acupuncture most of them had been treated with various other medical means without satisfactory results. After acupuncture treatment their condition greatly improved. The classic symptoms of Meniere's disease are vertigo, tinnitus and deafness, but for all the treated patients vertigo was the most uncomfortable and distressing symptom. In all our cases vertigo stopped after a few acupuncture courses; but in our opinion it is more important to follow and control hearing threshold, since if it remains stable the other symptoms of Meniere's disease also do not persist. All our patients were regularly followed by careful audiometric studies several years after acupuncture treatment. In most cases hearing level had not greatly varied, so the other symptoms of Meniere's disease were not present in any large degree.     

Radioimmunoassay and bioassay data processing using a logistic curve fitting routine adapted to a desk top computer

The four parameter logistic curve fitting routine of Rodbard and Hutt [5] was adapted for use on a desk top computer and found to be an appropriate manner to process data from radioimmunoassays and bioassays.     

Identification and characterization of a β1-adrenergic receptor in the rat sertoli cell

The β₁-adrenergic receptor of rat Sertoli cells was characterized by measurement of the ability of adrenergic receptor agonists and antagonists to stimulate cAMP accumulation in Sertoli cells from 18-day-old rats. Epinephrine, norepinephrine and isoproterenol stimulate cAMP accumulation in Sertoli cells which is not additive with maximal doses of FSH and which is age-dependent. β-antagonists, alprenolol, hydroxybenzylpindolol or propranolol inhibit isoproterenol-induced cAMP accumulation while α-adrenergic antagonists have no effect.Dobutamine and soterenol stimulated cAMP accumulation to a greater extent than albuterol and metoproterenol. Finally, the stimulatory effects of isoproterenol and zinterol are both more sensitive to inhibition by β₁-antagonists than by β₂-antagonists. Taken together these data indicate the presence of a β₁-adrenergic receptor in Sertoli cells which is coupled to adenylate cyclase.     

Standardized evaluation and documentation of findings in patients with craniosynostosis

Surgical correction of craniosynostosis is usually performed according to standard procedures. However, a standard for clinical examination and report of findings for patients with craniosynostosis does not exist as yet. To compare findings from different hospitals, a documentation system was developed by a national craniosynostosis group. This system comprises a two-page document, clinical photographs, radiographs, CT scans, anthropometric measurements and molecular genetic findings. Data from craniosynostosis patients collected from participating hospitals are stored in a database, which facilitates online access.The documentation system was developed in cooperation with the group during 3 years since 1996. It was evaluated as being practicable and reliable and enables a comparability of findings reported in different hospitals. Molecular genetic analysis was found to support the investigation of patients with craniosynostosis and should therefore be integrated in the clinical evaluation. Copyright 2001 European Association for Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery.     

Frequency distribution of sperm counts in fertile and infertile males

In this study the frequency distribution of sperm counts and total sperm counts from more than 4000 allegedly fertile males were compared with those of husbands in 1000 infertile couples. Significant differences were observed only at the lower end of the scale (sperm counts below 10 million/ml and total sperm counts below 25 million/ejaculate). Frequency distributions of sperm counts above 10 million/ml or total sperm counts above 25 million/ejaculate revealed little difference between the fertile and infertile groups. These data suggest that, unless other parameters are found to be abnormal, sperm counts and total sperm counts above 10 million/ml and 25 million/ejaculate, respectively, probably are not major factors in a couple's infertility.