Estrogen-induced gonadotropin surge in rhesus monkeys is not inhibited by cortisol synthesis inhibition or hypoglycemia

Acute administration of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) has been shown to inhibit gonadotropin secretion in several species including rodents, sheep, humans, and nonhuman primates. Similarly, a variety of acute stressors have been shown to inhibit tonic gonadotropin secretion and may do so through a CRH mechanism. Stress-induced inhibition of tonic gonadotropin secretion below levels required for follicular maturation would be expected to inhibit ovulation. An additional mechanism whereby acute stressors could interfere with ovulation is through inhibition of the preovulatory gonadotropin surge. In the present study, we determined the effect of acute activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis on phasic gonadotropin secretion in female rhesus monkeys. Activation of the HPA axis was achieved by either a hypoglycemic challenge or blockage of cortisol synthesis with metyrapone, 24h after an estradiol benzoate challenge. Neither metyrapone nor insulin-induced hypoglycemia inhibited gonadotropin secretion. In fact, the initiation of the luteinizing hormone and folliclestimulating hormone surge was advanced by 7.4±0.4 h (p<0.001) and 4.8±1.4 h (p=0.04) respectively, in metyrapone-treated monkeys compared with saline controls. By contrast, hypoglycemia did not affect the gonadotropin surge. The gonadotropin surge was preceded by increased progesterone secretion in metyraponetreated but not insulin-treated monkeys. This difference in progesterone secretion likely explains the advancement of the gonadotropin surge in the metyraponetreated animals.     

Quality and quantity of saliva DNA obtained from the self-administrated oragene method--a pilot study on the cohort of Swedish men.

Self-collection of saliva has the potential to provide molecular epidemiologic studies with DNA in a user-friendly way. We evaluated the new Oragene saliva collection method and requested saliva samples by mail from 611 men (ages 53-87 years). We obtained a response rate of, on average, 80% [varying from 89% (ages 67-71 years) to 71% (ages 77-87 years)]. DNA was extracted from 90 randomly selected samples, and its usefulness was evaluated with respect to quality, quantity, and whole-genome amplification (WGA). Visual inspection of DNA on agarose gels showed high molecular weight DNA (>23 kb) and no degradation. Total DNA yield measured with PicoGreen ranged from 1.2 to 169.7 mug, with a mean of 40.3 mug (SD, 36.5 mug) and a median of 29.4 mug. Human DNA yield was estimated by real-time PCR of the human prothrombin gene to account for 68% (SD, 20%) of total DNA. We did WGA on 81 saliva DNA samples by using the GenomiPhi DNA kit and genotyped both saliva DNA and WGA DNA for 10 single-nucleotide polymorphisms randomly selected from the human genome. Overall genotyping success rate was 96% for saliva DNA and 95% for WGA DNA; 79% of saliva DNA samples and 79% of WGA DNA samples were successfully genotyped for all 10 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. For the 10 specific assays, the success rates ranged between 88% and 100%. Almost complete genotypic concordance (99.7%) was observed between saliva DNA and WGA DNA. In conclusion, Oragene saliva DNA in this study collected from men is of high quality and can be used as an alternative to blood DNA in molecular epidemiologic studies.     

Lung cancer and indoor pollution from heating and cooking with solid fuels: the IARC international multicentre case-control study in Eastern/Central Europe and the United Kingdom

Exposure to fuel from cooking and heating has not been studied in Europe, where lung cancer rates are high and many residents have had a long tradition of burning coal and unprocessed biomass. Study subjects included 2,861 cases and 3,118 controls recruited during 1998-2002 in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. The odds ratio of lung cancer associated with solid fuel use was 1.22 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.44) for cooking or heating, 1.37 (95% CI: 0.90, 2.09) for solid fuel only for cooking, and 1.24 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.47) for solid fuels used for both cooking and heating. Risk increased relative to the percentage of time that solid fuel was used for cooking (p(trend) < 0.0001), while no risk increase was detected for solid fuel used for heating. The odds ratio of lung cancer in whole-life users of solid cooking fuel was 1.80 (95% CI: 1.35, 2.40). Switching to nonsolid fuels resulted in a decrease in risk. The odds ratio for the longest duration of time since switching was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.92). The data suggest a modest increased risk of lung cancer related to solid-fuel use for cooking rather than heating.     

Major dietary patterns and risk of renal cell carcinoma in a prospective cohort of Swedish women

Links between specific foods and the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are not well established. Dietary patterns may be a better predictor of RCC risk. Our aim was to identify and examine major dietary patterns and their relation to the risk of RCC in a large prospective cohort study of Swedish women. Complete dietary information was available from a FFQ from 46,572 women aged 40-76 y at baseline. We conducted factor analysis to identify dietary patterns. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs. During a mean of 14.3 y of follow-up, we identified 93 cases of RCC. We observed 3 major dietary patterns in the cohort: Healthy (vegetables, tomato, fish, fruits, poultry, whole grains), Western (sweets, processed meat, refined grains, margarine/butter, high-fat dairy products, fried potato, soft drinks, meat) and Drinker (wine, hard liquor, beer, snacks) pattern. Higher Healthy pattern scores were not significantly associated with decreased risk of RCC (highest vs. lowest tertile RR = 0.81; 95% CI 0.45-1.48 and RR = 0.54; 95% CI 0.27-1.10 among women < or = 65 y). There was a suggestion of an inverse association between the Drinker pattern and RCC risk (RR comparing the 2nd and 3rd with the first tertile, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.34-0.95; and 0.72; 95% CI, 0.42-1.22, respectively, P = 0.08 by Wald test); the association was clearer among women < or = 65 y (P = 0.02 by Wald test). Our data suggest an inverse association between Drinker pattern and the risk of RCC.     

Serum and urine leptin concentration in children with nephrotic syndrome

Literature data point to the relationship between leptin concentration and certain markers of the metabolic syndrome, including cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoproteins. A substantial lipid metabolism disturbance occurs in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS). The aim of the study was to find out whether in NS children, serum and urine leptin levels change proportionally to lipid metabolism disturbances. The study was performed on two groups: (I) 30 children with NS (A) before, (B) during, prednisone therapy after proteinuria regression; (II) 25 healthy children. Serum and urine leptin levels were determined by the immunoenzymatic ELISA method. Serum leptin level in NS children before and after treatment was similar to that in the control group ( p >0.05). Leptin urinary excretion in group A was approximately 60 times and in group B 24 times higher than in the controls ( p <0.01). Before treatment, children with NS had increased concentrations of TC, TG, LDL, -lipoprotein, apolipoprotein B (apo B) ( p <0.01) and reduced HDL and apolipoprotein A (apo A) ( p <0.01). The conclusions were that: (1) in NS children leptin urinary excretion increases but its level is unchanged in serum; (2) serum leptin level is correlated with lipid parameters.     

A case of bilateral oncocytomas of the submandibular gland and synchronous renal oncocytomas

A case of 42 years-old man with bilateral big sized (12 x 5 cm and 10 x 4,5 cm) oncocytoma in submandibular glands was presented. Oncocytoma is a rare benign neoplasm observed in numerous of organs. In the case described besides submandibular glands tumours, accessory oncocytic tumours in both kidneys were diagnosed. It was the reason of earlier unilateral nephrectomy. Surgical treatment was applied. The comparison of the both tumours histology allowed to establish proper diagnosis. The case is presented because of the explicitly of the oncocytoma location especially in the both submandibular glands simultaneously with tumour of the same histology in distant organs.     

Endothelium dysfunction markers in patients with diabetic retinopathy

Diabetes mellitus leads to endothelium dysfunction and an accelerated progression of atherosclerosis. Vascular complications of diabetes mellitus can affect not only large and medium arteries resulting in coronary heart disease and peripheral arteries diseases, but also small vessels leading to retinopathy and nephropathy. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin and von Willebrand factor (vWF) are considered as markers of endothelium dysfunction. The aim of our study was to evaluate plasma levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin and vWF in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus receiving insulin therapy and who had diabetic non-proliferative retinopathy, proliferative retinopathy, or did not develop diabetic retinopathy. There were no statistically significant differences between studied groups in any of evaluated endothelium dysfunction markers. There was no statistically significant correlation between measured parameters and a period of diabetic history. None of the studied markers presented a significant correlation with a period of insulin treatment.