Gonadotropins mediate DNA synthesis and protection from spontaneous cell death in human ovarian surface epithelium

Gonadotropins have been implicated in the development of epithelial ovarian cancers. These tumors are derived from ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of these hormones on DNA synthesis and spontaneous cell death in primary cultures of OSE and three immortalized OSE cultures. Primary cultures of OSE cells were generated from the ovaries of women with benign disease. The effects of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) on DNA synthesis and cell death were determined using [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and JAM assays. Significant inductions of DNA synthesis were demonstrated with LH in 4/12 (33%) primary cultures of OSE and 2/3 OSE cell lines and with FSH in 4/11 (36%) primary cultures of OSE and 2/3 OSE cell lines. A significant protection from cell death was also observed in the presence of FSH in 2/4 primary cultures of OSE and 1/3 OSE cell lines and in the presence of LH in 1/4 primary cultures of OSE and 2/3 OSE cell lines. The results indicate that while gonadotropins have the potential to induce cell proliferation and protect from cell death in OSE cells in vitro, their effects are variable in OSE cells from different women.     

Clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma that occur after sustained virological response to interferon for chronic hepatitis C

Background and Aim: This study investigated the clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with sustained virological response to interferon for hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. Methods: A total of 7715 patients with HCV infection were treated with interferon and followed up for more than 1 year after withdrawal of interferon in 64 Japanese hospitals and clinics between July 1988 and August 2001. Sustained virological response was obtained in 2515 (32.6%) patients. Of these 2515 patients, clinical data were collected for 38 patients in whom hepatocellular carcinoma developed. Sustained virological response was defined as HCV RNA negativity more than 6 months after the termination of interferon. Results: All patients were HCV RNA negative at the time of diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The median period until the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma was 4.7 years (range 1.4–9.0 years). There were significant improvements in hepatic function including serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, indocyanine green test, platelet count and histological activity grade in comparison with those before interferon therapy and at the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma. The maximum tumor size in patients without medical follow‐up for 1 year or more (median: 60 mm) was significantly larger than in patients who were periodically followed up for 6 months or less (median: 25 mm) (P = 0.002). Conclusions: The present findings emphasize the importance of regular medical follow up of patients with HCV infection, as even patients showing a sustained virological response to interferon and in whom hepatic function has improved have the potential to develop hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Peritoneal tuberculosis simulating advanced ovarian carcinoma: is clinical impression sufficient to administer neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer?

Abstract.   Gurbuz A, Karateke A, Kabaca C, Kir G, Cetingoz E. Peritoneal tuberculosis simulating advanced ovarian carcinoma: is clinical impression sufficient to administer neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer? Int J Gynecol Cancer 2006; 16(Suppl. 1): 307–312.
Peritoneal tuberculosis mimics advanced ovarian cancer because of the similarities in clinical signs and symptoms such as ascites, pelvic and abdominal pain and mass, and elevation of serum CA125 level. We have presented four cases of peritoneal tuberculosis that underwent exploratory laparotomy for suspected advanced ovarian cancer during a 3-year period. Definitive diagnosis of tuberculosis was performed at laparotomy in all the cases. The frozen-section analysis seems to be the gold standard in the differential diagnosis. In view of these data, clinical diagnosis of advanced ovarian cancer is not sufficient for administering neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cytologic or pathologic findings must be consistent with ovarian cancer for candidates who are being considered for neoadjuvant chemotherapy.     

Sustained eosinophil cationic protein release into tears after a single high-dose conjunctival allergen challenge

Background The appearance of eosinophils is a hallmark sign of the allergic late-phase response (LPR). Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), a readily measurable product released from activated eosinophils, has so far not been evaluated in the ocular LPR. Objective Two sets of trials were performed in order to investigate changes of local and systemic eosinophil activity and their possible link with symptoms and hyper-reactivity in the allergic LPR in the eye. Methods In the first experiment, ECP was analysed in tears and serum and the clinical reaction was evaluated during a 72-h time–course after a single, high-dose allergen challenge out of season in one eye of 15 pollen-sensitized volunteers. In a second experiment, the hypothesis of an increased clinical response to an allergen challenge in an eye that had been provoked with allergen 48h previously was tested in nine sensitized individuals. Results In the first experiment, symptoms at 10 min and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h significantly exceeded base line scores of the challenged eyes. Tear ECP was significantly elevated in challenged eyes compared to contralateral eyes at 6, 8 and 24 h. In addition, symptoms and ECP release correlated significantly at the 24-h evaluation. Serum ECP remained unchanged throughout the study period. In the second experiment, conjunctival hyperreactivity 48h after an allergen challenge was not confirmed. Conclusion ECP secretion occurs in the experimental ocular LPR and is in part associated with the magnitude of the clinical reaction, which suggests a truly pathogenic role of the activated eosinophil in pollen-induced allergic conjunctivitis.     

2,3-Butanedione monoxime protects mice against the convulsant effect of picrotoxin by facilitating GABA-activated currents

While adult mice receiving picrotoxin (PTX) alone responded with clonic and tonic-clonic seizures, this response was greatly suppressed for mice simultaneously injected with 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM). For example, 60% and 10% of the mice convulsed when injected (i.p.) with 3.0 mg/kg PTX alone or PTX plus 205 mg/kg of BDM, respectively. In contrast, a non-oxime analogue of BDM, 2,3-butanedione (BTD), did not have this anticonvulsant effect. In order to explore the basis for the anticonvulsant effect of BDM, we recorded GABA-activated currents (I_GABA) of frontal cortical as well as ventromedial hypothalamic neurons before, during and after exposure to this oxime. BDM had a biphasic effect on concentrations (100 μM-40 mM) decreased and lower concentrations (0.01 μM–0.001 μM) potentiatedI_GABA; these effects of BDM reversed upon washout of the oxime. In contrast, BTD had no effect onI_GABA. Finally, when 0.001 μM BDM, 10–30 μM PTX and GABA were co-applied the inhibitory effect of the toxin onI_GABA was markedly suppressed. These data suggest that the anticonvulsant effect of oximes involves facilitation of the inhibitory action of GABA.     

艾司洛尔预注射对预防颈丛阻滞后心血管副反应的观察

颈丛阻滞常可引起心率增快 ,血压增高 ,被认为是颈动脉窦及迷走神经被阻滞 ,交感神经活性增强所致 [1 ]。我们采用艾司洛尔预注射的方法 ,抑制颈丛阻滞后的心血管副反应 ,取得了良好的效果 ,现介绍如下。1　临床资料和方法1.1　一般资料　选择 ASA I～ 级 ,择期行甲状腺瘤或囊     

Effect of periodontal therapy on specific antibody responses to suspected periodontopathogens

The effects of clinically successful periodontal therapy were studied in juvenile periodontitis (JP) and rapidly progressive periodontitis (RP) patients and compared with periodontally healthy subjects (HS). Serum samples were obtained in 35 HS prior to the study and in 12 of these subjects 3-4 years later. Serum samples were obtained from 50 JP patients initially, 9 subjects immediately following surgical therapy and 29 of these subjects 3-4 years later. RP patients provided 46 initial serum samples, 9 following therapy and 27 samples 3-4 years later. Antibody levels were determined utilizing a standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with Bacteroides gingivalis, B. ochracea, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serving as antigens. The JP patients showed an initial rise in antibody levels immediately following therapy followed by a significant decrease in antibody levels 3 to 4 years later. The RP patients did not show an early change in antibody levels but by 3 to 4 years post-therapy, antibody levels had significantly decreased. However, during this study, the antibody levels of JP and RP patients remained significantly higher when compared with HS patients.     

体外受精-胚胎移植取消周期47例临床分析

目的 :探讨在体外受精 -胚胎移植周期中因卵巢反应不良而取消周期的病因及处理方法。方法 :对2 0 0 0年 1 1月至 2 0 0 1年 1 2月接受超促排卵周期因故而取消周期 47例进行分析 ,选择与取消周期者同日或最接近日进入周期接受超促排卵并完成移植周期的 75例作为对照组。结果 :在超促排卵周期中因卵巢反应不良而取消周期 34例 ,占 6 .9% ,反应不良组平均年龄及不孕年限均较对照组长 (P <0 .0 5) ,基础FSH >8IU/L和 /或E2 >50pg/ml反应不良组明显高于对照组 (P <0 .0 1 ) ,反应不良组Gn起始用量及每日用量均明显高于对照组 ,(P <0 .0 0 1 )。结论 :反应不良的原因为卵巢储备功能低下 ,体内存在Gn抗体 ,原因不明 ;加大Gn剂量、降低GnRH -a用量、合用生长激素为常用处理方法。     

Multiple sclerosis patients have reduced HLA class II-restricted cytotoxic responses specific for both measles and herpes virus

It has been previously demonstrated that the generation of measles virus (MV)-specific cytotoxicity (CTL) is reduced in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). By contrast, CTL specific for influenza virus (FLU) and mumps virus is normal. It is uncertain if reduced CTL is limited to MV in MS patients, or if reduced CTL may be found to other viruses as well. Since MV-specific CTL is predominantly restricted by HLA class II molecules, while FLU-specific and mumps-specific CTL have large HLA class I-restricted components, reduced MV-specific CTL may reflect a broader reduction in HLA class II-restricted CTL in patients with MS. To examine this question we studied the generation of CTL specific for herpes simplex virus type I (HSV). HSV-specific CTL, like MV-specific CTL is predominantly restricted by HLA class II molecules. We found that patients with MS had reduced generation of CTL to both MV and HSV. Most, but not all patients who had reduced generation of CTL to one virus also had a similar impairment with respect to the second virus. Some patients, however, had a reduction in the generation of CTL only to MV or to HSV. These findings extend our earlier observations regarding reduced MV-specific CTL in patients with MS to a second HLA class II-restricted virus, HSV. Such a reduction may reflect discrete impairments in immune function to separate viruses, possibly those that are associated with viral persistence, or may reflect a more generalized defect in HLA class II-restricted CTL.