The risk of dying of prostate cancer in patients with clinically localized disease

From 1966 to 1979, 360 patients with clinical stages A2, B and C1 prostate cancer underwent staging pelvic lymphadenectomy, and completed a course of combined interstitial radioactive gold seeds and external beam radiotherapy. All patients had a normal serum prostatic acid phosphatase level and a bone scan negative for metastases. All patients were followed until death or for a mean of 7.3 years (range 1.2 to 18.25 years) for those alive at analysis. To determine the risk of dying of prostate cancer we reviewed the records of the 142 patients (39%) who died. At analysis 21% of the patients had died of prostate cancer and 17% of other known causes. The cause of death could not be determined in 4 patients (1%). Cardiovascular disease accounted for a fifth of all deaths. The actuarial risk of death of prostate cancer for all patients was 8 +/- 3% (+/- 2 standard errors) at 5 years and 30 +/- 7% at 10 years. The risk of death of all causes was 16 +/- 4% at 5 years and 46 +/- 7% at 10 years. An increased risk of cancer death was associated with established risk factors, including advanced local disease, poorly differentiated histology, pelvic nodal metastases and distant recurrence. We also noted a substantial risk of cancer death in patients who had local tumor recurrence. While previous studies have reported a relatively low incidence of cancer deaths (4 to 17%) in patients initially diagnosed with localized disease, our data suggest that prostate cancer is the major cause of mortality in such patients. Aggressive curative therapy, regardless of treatment modality, should be considered for localized prostate cancer in men with a life expectancy of 10 or more years.

Effects of breed, age of donor and dosage of follicle stimulating hormone on the superovulatory response of beef cows

Data were obtained on 1039 recoveries of embryos from beef cows of four breeds at two locations, in clinic and on farm. General linear models procedures were utilized to determine the effects of breed, location, age of donor, dosage of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and the interaction of age and FSH on the following dependent variables: 1) the mean number of ova (unfertilized oocytes and embryos) recovered; 2) the mean number and percentage of embryos (fertilized; live and dead) recovered; and 3) the mean number and percentage of transferable embryos recovered. The interaction of age of donor and dosage of FSH with breed and location prevented the pooling of data over breed and location. The mean number of ova recovered was affected by age of the donor (Charolais-in clinic), or the interaction between age of donor and dosage of FSH (Polled Hereford-in clinic and -on farm and Simmental -on farm). The mean number of embryos was affected by age of donor (Polled Hereford-in clinic), dosage of FSH (Simmental-in clinic) or their interaction (Angus-on farm). The mean number of transferable embryos was affected by age of donor (Polled Hereford-in clinic and -on farm, Simmental-in clinic and Angus-on farm). General linear models procedures were utilized to determine the effects of the embryo (stage of development and quality) and the recipient (synchrony with the donor) on the rate of pregnancy. Rate of pregnancy varied with embryo quality score and synchrony of the recipient and the embryo. In conclusion, the superovulatory response was found to be highly breed-specific, and most of the variability in embryos produced was attributed to the number of ova recovered. However, the number of ova, embryos and transferable embryos recovered was further influenced by age of the donor, dosage of FSH or their interaction.

Treatment of staghorn calculi with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy

Between August 1983 and August 1987, 72 staghorn calculi were treated in 66 patients. Treatment was with percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in 30, extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in 18, combination PCNL-ESWL in 23, and nephrectomy in 1. Complications occurred in 59 percent of patients and were twice as common after PCNL as after ESWL. Radiologic follow-up on 69 kidneys (97%) showed 58 percent were stone-free, 15 percent had residual sand or matchheads less than 5 mm, 17 percent had residual fragments of 5-15 mm, and 10 percent had greater than 15 mm residual stone burden. With a mean follow-up of thirty months, 2 of 40 stone-free patients had persistent asymptomatic Proteus urinary tract infections, and 4 of 22 patients with residual calculi less than or equal to 15 mm required additional operative treatment.

Ontogeny of corticotropin releasing hormone gene expression in rat hypothalamus--comparison with somatostatin

Using in situ hybridization histochemistry, corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression is first detectable in the parvocellular portion of the rat paraventricular nucleus on the 17th fetal day. The prevalence of messenger RNA for corticotropin releasing hormone decreases perinatally, specifically between the 19th and 21st fetal days. By the 4th postnatal day, CRH gene expression is similar to that of the adult rat. Somatostatin messenger-RNA is detectable on the 14th fetal day in the periventricular nucleus. No perinatal hiatus in somatostatin gene expression is evident.

Age-related immunohistochemical studies of A and D cells in pancreatic islets of C57BL/6J mice

Sections of pancreatic islets from C57BL/6J mice aged 3, 14, and 24 months, consisting of islets derived from the dorsal primordium (DPI) and from the ventral primordium (VPI), were immunostained using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) procedure for localization of glucagon (A cells) and somatostatin (D cells). The density (A or D cell area/islet area) of immunopositive cells were determined using computer-assisted image analysis. The density of A cells was significantly less in VPI of 14- and 24-month-old mice compared to 3-month-old mice. The density of A cells in 24 month DPI was less than 3 month DPI but no different from 14 month DPI. The mean area (microns 2) of A cells (only in DPI) was significantly less at 24 months compared to the 3 and 14 month groups. There were no differences in somatostatin staining when comparing the three age groups, although at all ages the density of D cells was always greater in the DPI. In conclusion, the major difference between the young and older mice was a deficiency of glucagon-stained cells in older mice. These results might be important in explaining improved glucose tolerance in aged C57BL/6J mice.

Age-related alterations in follicular development and hormonal profiles in rats with 4-day estrous cycles

Two experiments were conducted to examine the hypothesis that an alteration in follicular development is associated with advancing maternal age in the absence of prolonged estrous cycles. In Experiment 1, serum and four follicles (from one ovary per rat) were collected from young and middle-aged, 4-day cycling rats on estrus or metestrus. Number and diameter of nonatretic antral follicles greater than 200 microns in diameter were determined from serial sections of the other ovary from each rat. In Experiment 2, serum and follicles (12 +/- 2) from both ovaries were collected from young and middle-aged rats on each day of a 4-day estrous cycle. All microdissected follicles were assayed for estradiol-17 beta (E2) and all sera were assayed for E2, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone by radioimmunoassay. Numbers of follicles greater than 400 microns in diameter did not differ, while numbers of follicles 200-400 microns in diameter were reduced in middle-aged rats compared to young rats (Experiment 1). The mean diameter of follicles greater than 400 microns in diameter and the follicular content of E2 was greater in middle-aged than in young rats. In Experiment 2, a greater proportion of large follicles were observed in middle-aged rats than in young rats on all days, and a greater proportion of follicles with high concentrations of E2 were observed on diestrus. We interpreted these data as indicative of an early age-related change in the control of follicular recruitment, growth, and maturation.

Combined in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry in the assay of pharmacological effects on tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA concentration

An assay for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA by in situ hybridization in combination with immunocytochemistry (ICC) for TH on the same section is described. The in situ hybridization protocol was optimized for [35S]cRNA (complementary RNA, i.e. anti-sense strand) probe concentration and time of hybridization. The specificity of hybridization was measured by several critera. The advantage of measuring grain density versus grains per cell is discussed for quantitation of in situ autoradiography. Finally, the reserpine-induced increase in adrenal TH mRNA was used to validate quantitative aspects of the in situ hybridization technique by comparison with blot hybridization. In contrast to the adrenal, reserpine did not increase TH mRNA in substantia nigra (s. nigra) neurons as measured by either technique.

Chronic lesions differentially decrease tyrosine hydroxylase messenger RNA in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra

Long-term effects of lesions were analyzed in terms of gene expression. Nine months after unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the substantia nigra pars compacta (s. nigra), the remaining dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons (tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) cells determined by immunocytochemistry (ICC] on the lesioned side were atrophic with smaller nucleoli. By in situ hybridization, the DAergic neurons on the lesioned side had a 50% smaller TH-mRNA concentration than on the contralateral non-lesioned side. However, beta-tubulin mRNA concentration in DAergic neurons was unaffected by the lesion. The lesions did not alter TH-mRNA concentration in the contralateral non-lesioned side by comparison with unoperated controls. We propose that chronic lesions have long-term effects on gene expression because of damage sustained during compensatory hyperactivity after the lesion, or because of decreased trophic support from other neurons.

Infection stones

The pathogenesis and epidemiology of infection stones are well understood. While percutaneous lithotripsy and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy have emerged as the mainstay of extirpative therapy, surgical lithotomy is the standard to which other therapies must be compared. Adjunctive therapy with pharmacological agents that inhibit urease with few side effects and effective urinary acidifiers favor chemolysis. Diet and chemotherapy offer the hope of slowing stone growth and/or recurrence in patients with chronic urease-producing bacteriuria.

Genotypic influences on reproductive aging of inbred female mice: effects of H-2 and non-H-2 alleles

The H-2 (major histocompatibility) complex of mice influences a variety of physiologic parameters. This study describes the influences of H-2 polymorphisms and other genetic influences on age-related changes (5-20 mo) in estrous cycles and fecundity. We monitored estrous cycles of virgin or retired-breeder mice of congenic strains on the background of C57BL/10Sn (B10):B10.BR/Sg (B10.BR) and B10.RIII/Sn (B10.RIII). For another comparison, we examined the C57BL/6J (B6) strain, which has the same H-2 haplotype as the B10. Estrous cycles were categorized by length during 10 mo of observations. From 5 to 15 mo of age, B10 and B10.RIII mice displayed a preponderance of 5-day cycles, B10.BR mice displayed a preponderance of 4-day cycles, and B6 mice had diminishing numbers of 4-day cycles. Age-related acyclicity differed with strain, particularly among retired breeders; B6 mice had an earlier onset and more rapid increase of acyclicity with age than the B10 congenic mice. Litters/female, maternal age at last litter, and total pups/female differed with strain; B10.BR and B10.RIII were similar and both had greater values than B10 mice. In conclusion, reproductive senescence of female mice was influenced by genes at the H-2 locus and elsewhere.

Rapid corticosterone-induced changes in gene expression in rat hippocampus display type II glucocorticoid receptor specificity

Corticosteroids influence a wide range of neuronal activities by binding to either of two different glucocorticoid receptors found in rat brain. To investigate genomic responses in brain to stress levels of circulating corticosterone (CORT), we isolated hippocampal total RNA and poly(A)-containing RNA from rats treated with 10 mg/day CORT or vehicle. RNA translation products were resolved by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and fluorography. Select changes in four translation products after acute CORT treatment were inferred from up to 100-fold increases in three polypeptides and a 2-fold decrease in another. While adrenalectomy decreased levels of the inducible RNA sequences (adrenalectomized vs. intact controls), CORT increased the inducible sequences above their levels in intact controls. Rapid increases within 2 h of CORT treatment were seen for RNAs coding for 35, 33, and 20 kilodalton polypeptides. However, RNA coding for a 50 kilodalton polypeptide had a delayed decrease, first seen after 32 h CORT. The CORT increases displayed type II glucocorticoid receptor-specificity: RU 28362 greater than or equal to CORT greater than aldosterone greater than dihydrotestosterone = control. Since type II receptors are only substantially occupied by stress levels of CORT, these changes in gene expression are candidates for molecular stress responses in the brain.

Age, dose of FSH and other factors affecting superovulation in Holstein cows

Effects of age of donor and other factors on superovulation and production of transferable embryos were investigated. Data were obtained on 987 recoveries of embryos performed between November 1980 and June 1984 by Select Embryos, Inc. The 339 Holstein donors ranged in age from 1.8 to 17.8 yr. The effects of age of donor and dose of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were examined using regression analysis. For on-farm recoveries, numbers of embryos, rates of fertilization, quality scores of all embryos and numbers of transferable embryos decreased (P less than .01, P less than .001, P less than .05, P less than .01, respectively) with increasing age of donor. For in-clinic recoveries, numbers of embryos plus ova recovered were affected by age of donor, dose of FSH and the interaction of the two (P less than .05). Among older donors, increasing doses of FSH were associated with an increase in the number of ova plus embryos recovered. However, among younger donors, increasing doses of FSH had a negative effect. Numbers of embryos, rates of fertilization and numbers of transferable embryos decreased (P less than .05) with advancing age and increased (P less than .05) with increasing doses of FSH. Greater numbers of ova plus embryos were recovered when treatment with FSH was begun on d 10 or 11 as compared with d 7, 8, 9, 12, 13 or 14 (P less than .001). It was concluded that an increase in age of donor had a negative influence on the success of superovulation and the production of transferable embryos, and that the response to FSH was affected by age of donor.

Pulsatile pituitary gonadotropin secretion during maturation of the dominant follicle in monkeys: estrogen positive feedback enhances the biological activity of LH

In the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, pulsatile patterns of LH and FSH secretion in monkeys change during maturation of the dominant follicle. At the preovulatory surge, the most striking event is the prodigious elevations of bioassayable LH, rising up to 50-fold within 24 h. Principally, establishment of the surge is due to marked enhancement of the amplitude of LH secretory pulses. In contrast, LH and FSH measured by RIA enter, in parallel, the surge modes of secretion approximately 5 h later than bioassayable LH and rise more slowly; the B:I ratio may reach 10:1. This same disparity between bioassayable versus immunoassayable LH was induced in castrate monkeys under estrogen positive feedback stimulation. We conclude that the preovulatory estrogen surge promotes the secretion of an LH molecule(s) having enhanced biological activity.