The spermatozoal volume as indicative of the plasma membrane integrity (modification of the hypoosmotic swelling test). I. Methods

Summary. The aim of the present study was to establish a more differentiating indicator of plasma membrane integrity of spermatozoa than the classic version of the hypoosmotic swelling test according to Jeyendraan. Spermatozoa were prepared by density gradient centrifugation (90% Percoll) to select 'fertilization competent' spermatozoa only. After a second washing procedure sufficiently pure sperm cell suspensions were obtained. The volume distributions of these sperm cells were measured with a Coulter Counter at 25 °C after adaptation in 300 mosmolar NaCl solution resp. 150 mosmolar NaCl solution for 5 min. These volume distributions showed significantly different patterns for the isotonic and hypotonic stress situation in the simple salt solution. Moreover, the comparison of the response to hypoosmotic stress showed more than four reproducible characteristic patterns, promising well differentiated results for different sperm populations. The new method for the detection of hypoosmotic swelling effect might be a real and valuable functional parameter.     

An Analysis of Chromosome on Sterility Caused by Azoospermia or Oligospermia

ＡｎＡｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｆＣｈｒｏｍｏｓｏｍｅｏｎＳｔｅｒｉｌｉｔｙＣａｕｓｅｄｂｙＡｚｏｏｓｐｅｒｍｉａｏｒＯｌｉｇｏｓｐｅｒｍｉａ￥ＷｕＭｅｉｈｅｎｇ；ＴａｎｇＷｉｎｇｎｕｏ．（ＡＣＴＡＡＣＡＤＥＭＩＡＥＭＥＤＩＣＩＮＡＥＮＡＮＪＩＮＧ，１９９５（...     

In-vivo studies on Haemaccel-fibronectin interaction in man

An enzyme-linked immunoassay has been recently set up for direct measurement of the binding capacity of plasma fibronectin to gelatin. This binding capacity could be completely inhibited in vitro by an eight-fold excess of gelatin, of Haemaccel, but not of Geloplasma. On the contrary, the levels of immunoreactive fibronectin measured by laser nephelometry did not change, in presence of 10 to 1000 micrograms ml-1 of gelatin, of Haemaccel or of Geloplasma. When infused into normal volunteers, Haemaccel provoked a strong and immediate inhibition of the plasma fibronectin binding capacity to gelatin. This inhibition was dose-dependent and maximal after infusion of 500 ml of Haemaccel. Twenty-four hours after this infusion, there was a progressive recovery of the gelatin-binding capacity, which was almost completely achieved 96 h later. The formation of complexes between Haemaccel and fibronectin was demonstrated by gel filtration chromatography and by affinity chromatography. Immunoreactive plasma fibronectin levels remained unchanged up to 24 h after infusion of 500 ml of Haemaccel. A transient decline to 50% of its initial value then occurred the second day after the infusion. Therefore, a delay existed between the formation of fibronectin-Haemaccel complexes and their elimination from the bloodstream. This delay decreased when smaller volumes of Haemaccel were infused, which strongly suggests that plasma fibronectin is cleared by means of Haemaccel and does not seem to play a role of opsonin in these conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Inhibition by indomethacin of spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis in SHN mice

This experiment was designed to examine the effects of indomethacin, a potent prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, on spontaneous mammary tumors in mice. The growth of established mammary tumors and the appearance of new tumors in multiparous SHN mice were significantly suppressed by the subcutaneous implantation of pellets of indomethacin diluted to 1/12 with cholesterol. Furthermore, the same treatment inhibited normal and preneoplastic mammary gland growth in virgin SHN mice. The pattern of estrous cycles, ovarian structure, and plasma prolactin levels were not affected significantly by the treatment. All results have demonstrated that indomethacin inhibits mammary tumorigenesis of mice primarily by route(s) other than the endocrine system under the present experimental conditions. Indomethacin would be the first agent that appears to inhibit the growth of spontaneous mammary tumors of palpable size in mice.     

Primary Aldosteronism

ABSTRACT A follow-up examination was performed one month to 20 years after adrenalectomy in 28 cases with surgically treated primary aldosteronism due to adrenal adenoma. The mean age at diagnosis was 45, and the mean duration of hypertension seven years. Severe hypertension with a diastolic blood pressure of 130 mmHg or more was observed in 35%. Postoperatively cerebrovascular catastrophe developed in two cases, both of which belonged to the group of patients with severe hypertension. Normalization of blood pressure was observed in 70% and in the remaining subjects the blood pressure was lower than at diagnosis. The blood pressure response to adrenalectomy appeared unpredictable in view of such parameters as the initial blood pressure, age at diagnosis, and duration of the hypertensive state. Toxicosis during pregnancy and metrorrhagia was observed with unexpectedly high frequency in this study population. Low ambulatory plasma renin activity was recorded at the follow-up in 15 out of 18 subjects studied in the absence of evidence of hyperaldosteronism.     

急性冠脉综合征中妊娠相关蛋白-A与斑块不稳定性

目的探讨妊娠相关蛋白-A(PAPP-A)在急性冠脉综合征(ACS)中的变化及其与斑块不稳定性的关系。方法26例冠脉正常者作为对照组,稳定性心绞痛(SA)组22例,ACS组40例,包括不稳定性心绞痛(UA)20例、急性心肌梗死(AMI)20例。定量检测外周血PAPP-A、C-反应蛋白(CRP)、肌酸激酶MB同工酶(CK-MB)。对所有冠脉造影显示狭窄≥30%的病变进行影像学分析。结果ACS中PAPP-A含量(13·19±4·04)mIU/L明显高于SA(5·47±3·00)mIU/L(P<0·01)及对照组(5·09±2·19)mIU/L(P<0·01);并且与CRP(r=0·62P<0·01)、复杂性狭窄的数量(r=0·45P<0·05)有显著的正相关。结论PAPP-A在ACS患者外周血中明显升高,可能与斑块的不稳定性有关,对ACS的危险度分层可能具有一定的价值。     

Plasma concentrations of prolactin, noradrenaline, vasopressin and oxytocin during and after a prolonged epileptic seizure

The time course and extent of changes in plasma prolactin, noradrenaline, vasopressin and oxytocin levels is reported following serial observations of a prolonged epileptic seizure arising in the temporal lobe, recorded by video-EEG-telemetry, in which the epileptic activity evolved from a simple partial to complex partial to secondarily generalised attack. The prolactin levels were markedly elevated during the phase of the simple partial seizure, at a time when consciousness was preserved, when motor activity was minimal and when EEG activity was highly localised. The hormonal levels continued to rise during the subsequent seizure evolution, suggesting that the duration (or intensity) of the seizure is an important, perhaps the most important, factor determining the degree of prolactin release during limbic seizures. Indeed, the prolactin elevation in this case (26 times the baseline level) is higher than any previously recorded, reflecting the unusual duration and intensity of this seizure. We did not observe the phenomenon of "exhaustion" of prolactin release and levels peaked after 49 min, and were high for over 2 h after the onset of the seizure, and after the convulsion had ceased. The concentrations of vasopressin, oxytocin and noradrenaline remained low during the aura, but rapidly increased during the phase of generalisation. The oxytocin and noradrenaline levels peaked during the phase of generalised convulsion, but the vasopressin levels peaked well into the post ictal phase, and remained high for several hours. The differing patterns of hormone release are likely to be related to the different anatomical sites of the hypothalamic perikarya, the relative importance of excitatory and inhibitory hypophysiotrophic agents in the release of anterior pituitary hormones and the localised release of neuromodulatory agents.     

血浆成分分离治疗类风湿性关节炎21例

１９９２年１０月以来，对２１例类风湿性关节炎共进行了７１人次血浆成分分离治疗（ＰＦ），平均１－２周内进行３．６人次，并在治疗前后进行总体评估。结果示：疗程完成后，全部病例的体力活动和实验室指标均有不同程度改善，３例活动受限者治疗后均能自由行走。平均每次分离血浆５７３１±１２９ｍｌ，其中ＩＣ，ＩｇＧ，ＩｇＧ，ＩｇＡ，均有统计学意义的减少。血沉从８０．２１±３４．００ｍｍ／ｈ降到５１．４０±３１．２８ｍｍ／ｈ，８例类风湿因于阳性的患者中，５例阴转，作者认为ＰＦ正在成为一种实用的技术，并可能是治疗类风湿关节炎最好的方法之一。     

Orthogonal solid-phase synthesis of a monobiotinylated analog of Neuropeptide Y

Analogs of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) were synthesized with conventional Boc/benzyl protective group strategy. Instead of Asn⁷ in the native scquence, Boc-Lys(Alloc)-OH was incorporated. At the end of the synthesis the Alloc group was selectively removed by palladium-catalyzed hydrostannolysis and biotin coupled to the e-amino group of Lys⁷. After cleavage and characterization with plasma desorption mass spectrometry the N^e-7-biotinyl-[Lys⁷]-NPY and the nonbiotinylated analog [Lys⁷]-NPY were investigated as ligands to the NPY receptor from rat cerebral cortex. Both analogs were found to be high affinity ligands to the NPY receptor and bound with essentially the same affinity as unmodified NPY.