Effects of two antiandrogen treatments on hirsutism and insulin sensitivity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Thirty-two women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) wereallocated to two antiandrogen treatment regimens; 28 women completedthe trial. Twenty women were treated with ethinyloestradioland cyproterone acetate (EO-CA) cyclically for 6 months andeight women were treated with the gonadotrophin releasing hormone(GnRH) analogue, goserelin for 6 months. Effects on hirsutism,insulin sensitivity (estimated by glucose clamp technique),blood lipids and hormones were measured. Women treated withEO-CA showed a reduction in hirsutism (P <0.05), and decreasedserum androgen concentrations (P <0.001) as well as reducedinsulin sensitivity (P <0.05). In women treated with goserelin,serum androgen concentrations also decreased (P <0.001),but there was no significant reduction of hirsutism. This group,however, showed an improved insulin sensitivity (P <0.05)despite an unchanged body mass index. Bone mineral density wasunaltered in both treatment groups. The reduction in androgenconcentrations caused by EO-CA was not paralleled by increasedinsulin sensitivity, most probably due to the effect of ethinyloestradiolper se. In contrast, the reduction in androgen concentrationsby goserelin was accompanied by an improved insulin sensitivity.     

Complement-dependent synergistic effects of rat monoclonal IgG antibodies in vivo

We describe studies aimed at maximizing the effector mechanisms responsible for eliminating target erythrocytes from the circulation in a fully homologous opsonization system in vivo. The effects on the subsequent fate of target erythrocytes were examined in both normal and decomplemented rats preinjected with a variety of rat IgG monoclonal antibodies (mAb) directed against different epitopes on the RTlA^a, the classical class I major histocompatibiliy complex antigen of the DA rat. In general, the clearance of both DA and (DA × PVG)F₁ erythrocytes in normal rats preinjected with various pairs of noncompetitive mAb was very rapid when compared with the overall clearance patterns seen with individual antibodies. With all mAb combinations containing IgG2b or IgG2a, an intact complement system was an essential requirement for augmenting the initial clearance and promoting hepatic sequestration of these target cells. The removal of (DA × PVG)F₁ erythrocytes, expressing half as much antigen, was considerably slower than the DA cells for each antibody pair tested although a notable degree of heterogeneity was observed in the overall behavior of both types of target cells with different mAb combinations. Our results suggest that the limiting effects of low antigen density on the target cells combined with the use of mAb of an isotype like the rat IgG2a can be overcome using pairs of mAb that recognize different epitopes on the same target antigen.     

基于线性调频信号的高帧率超声成像系统

基于有限衍射波束的高帧率超声成像系统能实现快速成像，但由于仅通过一次发射事件成像，信噪比较低，本研究针对该问题提出一种改进方案。它采用合成孔径雷达中所使用的线性调频信号作为激励信号，在接收端则利用线性调频信号的脉冲压缩比等于信号的时间带宽积的特征，将接收信号通过匹配滤波器处理。结果表明该方案不仅能显著提高成像系统的信噪比，改善重构图像的质量，增加成像深度，而且不损失分辨率。     

Analysis of the mechanism of lipoprotein(a) assembly

We have assessed the ability of a battery of purified recombinant apolipoprotein(a) (r-apo(a)) derivatives to bind to immobilized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by ELISA. Removal of the apo(a) kringle IV type 8 and type 9 sequences dramatically reduced apo(a) binding to LDL. The binding of apo(a) to LDL was effectively inhibited by arginine, lysine, the lysine analogue ε-aminocaproic acid and proline; comparable inhibition was observed using the 17K and KIV_5–8 r-apo(a) derivatives, suggesting a direct role for sequences contained in the latter species in mediating the initial non-covalent interactions which precede specific disulfide bond formation. We also determined that r-apo(a) binds directly to a synthetic apoB peptide spanning amino acid residues 3732–3745; this interaction appeared to be mediated by sequences present in apo(a) kringle IV types 8 and 9, and could be inhibited by arginine, lysine and proline. The results of this study indicate that the efficiency of Lp(a) assembly is a direct function of the initial non-covalent interactions between apo(a) and LDL; in addition, these studies suggest that Cys3734 in apoB mediates covalent linkage with apo(a) by virtue of the ability of the apoB sequences surrounding this residue to directly interact with apo(a) KIV type 9.     

Impact of Breast Density on Computer-Aided Detection in Full-Field Digital Mammography

The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of a computer-aided detection (CAD) system in full-field digital mammography (Senographe 2000D, General Electric, Buc, France) in finding out carcinomas depending on the parenchymal density. A total of 226 mediolateral oblique (MLO) and 186 craniocaudal (CC) mammographic views of histologically proven cancers were retrospectively evaluated with a digital CAD system (ImageChecker V2.3 R2 Technology, Los Altos, CA, USA). Malignant tumors were detected correctly by CAD in MLO view in 84.85% in breasts with parenchymal tissue density of the American College of Radiology (ACR) type 1, in 70.33% of the ACR type 2, in 68.12% of the ACR type 3, and in 69.70% of the ACR type 4. For the CC view, similar results were found according to the ACR types. Using the chi-square and McNemar tests, there was no statistical significance. However, a trend of better detection could be seen with decreasing ACR type. In conclusion, there seems to be a tendency for breast tissue density to affect the detection rate of breast cancer when using the CAD system.     

Brain mapping analysis in patients with hepatic encephalopathy

Summary Topographical analysis of cerebral electrical activity was performed in 44 patients with hepatic encephalopathy. These patients were classified in 5 groups according to clinical criteria. Eight healthy subjects were used as a control group. All were studied in an awake, eyes closed, condition and some [Control Group (CG), Group 0 (G0), Group 1 (G1) and Group 2 (G2)] also in an awake, eyes open, condition. The awake, eyes closed, maps showed marked differences in the power spectral density (PSD) of the different bands, when comparing normal subjects with patients with several degrees of hepatic encephalopathy. These differences were related to the degree of clinical involvement, mainly in the alpha and delta PSD bands. The combination of a decreased alpha PSD, increased delta PSD, and decreased mean dominant frequency (MDF) allowed a clear discrimination between the different clinical groups. The differences observed between awake, eyes closed, and awake, eyes open, conditions were especially helpful to discriminate between CG subjects and G0, G1 and G2 patients.     

Multidimensional Chromatographic and Hyphenated Techniques for Hydrophilic Copolymers, 1

Summary: The chromatographic analysis of hydrophilic copolymers is complicated due to the fact that in most cases aqueous eluents must be used. In aqueous eluents different polar and ionic effects may disturb the selective interactions between the macromolecules and the stationary phase making it impossible to separate such copolymers with regard to chemical composition. Therefore, 2D chromatography combining a separation according to composition with a separation according to molar mass has been applied mostly to polymers that are soluble in organic solvents. The present contribution describes experimental approaches to analyze such hydrophilic copolymers by 2D‐chromatography. For a model polymer system resulting from the copolymerization of methacrylic acid and a poly(ethylene glycol) macromonomer, it is shown that different analytical techniques including SEC, LC‐CC, MALDI‐TOF MS and 2D chromatography can be used to analyze the different parameters of molecular heterogeneity of such copolymers.

2D separation of poly(MPEG‐MM 2), 1^st dimension: LC‐CC, 2^nd dimension: SEC.     

Effect of recent alcohol intake on acceptor properties of high-density lipoproteins and their interaction with liver cells

Institute of Therapy, Siberian Branch, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Novosibirsk. All-Union Preventive Medicine Research Center, Ministry of Health of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR Yu. P. Nikitin.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 110, No. 12, pp. 611–613, December, 1990.     

血液灌流对硫线磷和硫酸阿托品的吸附作用

Objective To study on adsorption effect of cadusafos and atropine sulfate by hemoperfusion.Method Hemoperfusions were performed for sheep blood samples with cadusafos and atropineby through imitated extracorporeal closed circulating perfusion apparatus.Residual cadusafos was determined by gas chromatography and residual atropine was determined by high performance liquid chromatography.Result Dose of adsorption agent was 0.5,1.0 and 1.5 g,respectively.Two hours after hemoperfusion with membrane coated activated charcoal,clearance rate of cadusafos in 3 groups all exceeded 90%.and clearance rate of atropine sulfate was 61.9%,84.9%,88.9%,respectively.One and a half hours after hemoperfusion with HA230 absorption resin,clearance rate of eadusafos in 3 groups all exceeded 90%,and clearance rate of atropine sulfate was 88.0%,97.2%,98.4%,respectively.Three hours after hemoperfusion with membrane coated activated charcoal,The concentration ratio of cadusafos and atropine sulfate in blood promoted to 10.1 times,and the ratio was 6.7 times after hemoperfusion with HA230 absorption resin.Conclusion It suggested that cadusafos were mostly removed from blood after 1.5～2.0hours hemoperfusion with membrane activated charcoal or HA230 absorption resin.The concentration ratio of cadusafos and atropine sulfate in blood will increased after hemoperfusion.     

Characterization of a precipitating antigen detected in the serum of patients with viral hepatitis

During a search for the aetiological agent of non-A non-B hepatitis, a precipitating antigen was detected in the sera of some patients during the acute phase of their illness. The antigen was detected by agar gel diffusion using antibody from convalescent sera obtained from patients with non-A non-B hepatitis, and from haemophiliac sera. The antigen was usually detected early in the patient's illness, disappearing as liver function tests returned to normal. In some patients specific antibody appeared during the convalescent phase of the disease. The antigen does not appear to be specific for non-A non-B hepatitis, as it could be detected with similar frequency in patients with hepatitis A or hepatitis B and some patients with other liver disorders. Biochemical and biophysical studies suggest that the antigen is probably an abnormal lipoprotein produced as a result of acute liver damage.