Depression in menopausal period--prevalence,classification, terminology

Depression, understood as an illness requiring medical treatment, is a frequent phenomenon in woman in menopausal period. For years the literature has been presenting discussions concerning etiology and pathogenesis of depressive syndromes of this period, their specificity in comparison with other affective illnesses as well the problems connected with adequate classification and terminology. The following article is an attempt at ordering the knowledge concerning the above mentioned subjects while taking into account recent research results and diagnostic criteria in accordance with ICD-10.     

HPV 16 DNA occurrence in lymph nodes of patients with cervical carcinoma

OBJECTIVES: We estimated the occurrence of DNA HPV 16 presence in lymph nodes of 25 patients undergoing abdominal operation for cervical carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The presence of HPV 16 DNA was detected during the preoperative diagnosis procedure by the PCR method. RESULTS: According to the histopathological examination, metastases in the lymph nodes were present in material from two patients. It was confirmed HPV 16 DNA was detected with PCP. We found also 6 patients with HPV 16 DNA in their lymph nodes without histological confirmation. CONCLUSIONS: We consider PCR detection of HPV DNA as a simple and useful support of pathology diagnosis.     

Evaluation of soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in benign and malignant ovarian masses

PURPOSE: To evaluate serum ICAM-1 levels preoperatively in patients with ovarian masses. METHODS: Estimation by ELISA assay in 101 women with pelvic tumours and 16 healthy controls was performed. Correlations of sICAM-1 levels with CA-125, Tumour Volume Index, morphological score and pathological findings were studied. RESULTS: Fifty-one ovarian tumours were malignant, five were borderline and 45 benign. Mean levels of sICAM-1 were respectively, 311.1 +/- 182.9 ng/ml, 172.6 +/- 40.1 ng/ml, 241.8 +/- 74.1 ng/ml and 195.6 +/- 68.7 ng/ml for controls. The area under ROC curve for sICAM-1 was 0.72 (95% CI 0.58-0.82), the cut-off 250 ng/ml, corresponding to 81.3% sensitivity and 52.9% specificity. Serum ICAM-1 correlated with morphological score (r = 0.51, p < 0.001), but not with FIGO stage, tumour grade, Tumour Volume Index and CA-125. CONCLUSION: sICAM-1 concentrations are higher in patients with malignant tumours, but poorly correlate with clinical status. The clinical use alone in ovarian malignancy detection and tumour differentiation seems to have limited application. Combinations of CA-125 and sICAM-1 could improve the test characteristics.     

131碘-抗CD45单克隆抗体在幼鼠体内分布的实验研究

本实验研究了13 1I标记的抗CD45单抗在正常 4～ 6周性成熟前小鼠体内的生物学分布情况 ,并根据美国医学内照射辐射吸收剂量委员会 (MIRD)提出的方法 ,应用MIRDOSE 3 1程序中 10岁儿童标准数据模型计算出主要脏器的内照射吸收剂量 ,以估测该单抗在儿童体内对淋巴造血组织的选择性照射效果。材料和方法1 抗体和实验动物 :纯化的大鼠抗小鼠CD45单抗(YW6 2 3)类型为IgG 2b。对照组采用纯化大鼠抗体IgG(PP6 8)。 2 1只 4～ 6周的雄性昆明种小鼠 ,体重 14～ 18g。2 抗体标记及检测 :采用氯胺T法 ,用Na13 1I标记抗CD45单抗 ;用Na12 5…     

Structure-activity studies of novel amidine analogues of chlorambucil: correlation of cytotoxic activity with DNA-binding affinity and topoisomerase II inhibition

A series of amidine analogues of chlorambucil (9-12), where 5-[4-(N-alkylamidino)phenyl]-2-furancarboxamide and the chlorambucil moiety are linked by a NH(CH(2))(2)NH chain, was synthesized and their cytotoxicity has been tested against the growth of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of compounds 9-12 employing a MTT assay and inhibition of [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into DNA demonstrated that these conjugates were more active than chlorambucil. Data from the ethidium displacement assay indicated that these compounds bind in the minor groove of DNA and show moderate specificity for AT base pairs. Compounds 9-12 were potent topoisomerase II inhibitors, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50))ranging from 10 to 40 microM. The cytotoxicity of the compounds 9-12 correlates with their DNA-binding affinities and their relative potency as topoisomerase II inhibitors. Altogether, these data suggest (i) that the cytotoxic activity of compounds 9-12 may be due to the combined effects of alkylation, DNA-minor groove binding, and (ii) that N-(2-aminoethyl)-5-(4-N-alkylamidinophenyl)-2-furancarboxamides (5-8) ligands are suitable linkers that favors DNA targeting by chlorambucil derivatives.     

Expression of cytokines and receptors in normal,immortalized, and malignant ovarian epithelial cell lines

BACKGROUND: Ovarian carcinoma originates from the epithelial cells on the surface of the ovary. This study evaluates cytokine production by these cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal human ovary surface epithelial cells (HOSE cells), immortalized HOSE cells and ovarian cancer cells were used for the study of cytokines. RESULTS: Eight of 14 cytokines were increased in > or = 3 ovarian cancer cell lines compared with normal HOSE cells. Three cytokines were increased 5-fold in the immortalized HOSE cell line and in multiple ovarian cancer cell lines. Cytokine receptor expression revealed that 7 of 8 ovarian cancer cell lines had > or = 1 autocrine loop. Anti-EGFR antibody failed to inhibit growth of ovarian cancer cells which expressed multiple cytokine receptors. CONCLUSION: Ovarian cancer cells produce more cytokines than normal HOSE cells. Immortalized HOSE cells display a cytokine profile similar to the cancer cells. Finally, multiple autocrine loops in ovarian cancer may limit the therapeutic usefulness of single cytokine receptor blockade.     

Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels in neonatal infections

In order to assess the potential of procalcitonin measurement in the management of neonatal sepsis, daily variations in serum procalcitonin (measured by an immunoluminometric assay) were evaluated in 94 control and infected newborn infants in comparison to C-reactive protein (measured by an immunonephelometric method). High levels of procalcitonin correlated with bacterial invasion and showed no discrepancies with C-reactive protein. Procalcitonin increased (up to 400 μg 1^-1) and returned to the normal range (< 0.1 g1^-1) more quickly than C-reactive protein, suggesting that procalcitonin may be an early marker of favourable outcome. Another finding is a significant procalcitonin peak on the first day of life in the control group, independent of any infectious stimulus. In conclusion, procalcitonin seems to be an interesting marker of neonatal sepsis but additional investigations are needed to understand better its mechanism of synthesis in order to determine its clinical usefulness.     

Changes in the male voice at puberty

The changes in the male voice in relation to the biological characteristics of puberty were assessed longitudinally in 26 boys. Speaking and singing fundamental frequencies were analysed in relation to the Tanner staging of puberty, saliva testosterone levels, and the Cooksey classification of voice analysis. There were abrupt changes in voice characteristics between Tanner stages G3 and G4 and more gradually from stages C3 to C5 of Cooksey. Although testosterone concentrations were not predictive of the changes, there was a correlation with testis volume. Voice fundamental frequencies were seen to change abruptly in late puberty, in contrast with previous studies. There is a good correlation between the Tanner and Cooksey methods of classification during male puberty.     

Prolidase deficiency and systemic lupus erythematosus

The case is reported of an infant with hyperammonaemia secondary to severe distal renal tubular acidosis. A clinical association between increased concentrations of ammonia in serum and renal tubular acidosis has not previously been described. In response to acidosis the infant's kidneys presumably increased ammonia synthesis but did not excrete ammonia, resulting in hyperammonaemia. The patient showed poor feeding, frequent vomiting, and failure to thrive, but did not have an inborn error of metabolism. This case report should alert doctors to consider renal tubular acidosis in the differential diagnosis of severely ill infants with metabolic acidosis and hyperammonaemia.