Human cervical mucus and its mucous glycoprotein during the menstrual cycle

Human cervical mucus was collected serially during the menstrual cycles of each of 10 healthy women. After fractionation by equilibrium density centrifugation in CsCl, the sugar composition of the fractions containing mucous glycoprotein (MG) was examined by gas-liquid chromatography. No cyclic variations were detected in the sugar composition of MG (including sialic acid) or in its electrophoretic behavior. The composition of the mucus varied greatly during the cycle. Near ovulation the ratio of proteins to MG was minimal. During the luteal phase this ratio rose quickly. The secretion of MG was high during ovulation. The concentrations of the other proteins. The composition of cervical proteins was mapped by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Absorption of macronutrients from a rice-vegetable diet before and after treatment of ascariasis in children

The apparent absorption of nitrogen (N), fat, and total energy from a rice and vegetable diet was measured in 13 children of similar nutritional status but infected with varying loads of Ascaris lumbricoides. Apparent N absorption was modestly decreased initially in subjects with heavy infections as compared to those with light infections (57.2% of intake versus 64.1% of intake, 0.05 < P < 0.1). After antihelminthic therapy there ws a significant improvement in apparent N absorption (P < 0.02), apparent N retention (P < 0.05), and apparent fat absorption (P < 0.05) for the group as a whole, particularly for those with heavy infections. Total energy absorption improved slightly, but not significantly, after treatment, and there was no change in xylose excretion tests. Treatment of ascariasis may be nutritionally advantageous for children with heavy worm burdens and marginal protein availability.

Effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate on serum lipids, protein, glucose tolerance and liver function in Thai women

Proteins (total, albumin, globulin and their subfractions), carbohydrate (intravenous glucose tolerance test), lipids (serum cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids), and liver function tests (alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase activities in the serum, bromsulphathalein retention test and serum bilirubin) were studied in 12 non-lactating healthy Thai subjects before, and subsequently at 3 weeks and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the initiation of treatment with injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate (150 mg I.M. every 90 days). Serum protein and lipid levels, and the results of liver function and I.V. glucose tolerance tests, remained unchanged in all subjects throughout the one-year study period. However, a significant and persistent increased insulin level was noted in all subjects, after initiation of the hormone treatment, during the first thirty minutes of intravenous glucose load. It is concluded that injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate used as a contraceptive agent does not interfere with glucose tolerance, lipid and protein metabolism, and that the liver function remains normal during its administration.

Serum vitamin A and retinol-binding protein in malnourished women treated with oral contraceptives: effects of estrogen dose and duration of treatment

Malnourished women who had been treated with combination-type oral contraceptives containing 0.03 mg or 0.05 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 mg d-norgestrel had significantly higher levels of serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) and vitamin A after two or five cycles of treatment compared with untreated control subjects. The values tended to return to normal by the twelfth cycle of treatment, the trend for reversal being more marked for RBP than for retinol.

Disposition of chlordiazepoxide: sex differences and effects of oral contraceptives

There is considerable interspecies and interdrug variability in the effect of sex differences and oral contraceptive (OC) steroids on hepatic drug elimination. Their influence on the disposition of chlordiazepoxide has been studied in 11 healthy young men (29 +/- 5 yr), 11 healthy young women (28 +/- 5 yr), and 7 healthy women receiving OC steroids (27 +/- 2 yr) for more than 6 months. The elimination half-life (t1/2(beta)) was longer (from 14.8 +/- 5.9 hr to 8.9 +/- 2.5 hr) and protein binding less (95.5 +/- 1.4% and 97.0 +/- 1.2%) in women than in men. Weight-normalized plasma clearances of total drug did not differ, but the clearance of unbound drug was significantly less in women (8.7 +/- 5.0 ml/min/kg) than in men (15.6 +/- 5.3 ml/min/kg). Women on OC steroids had a lower plasma binding (from 93.6 +/- 1.5% to 95.5 +/- 1.4%) and a higher volume of distribution (from 0.62 +-/ 0.23 l/kg to 0.40 +/- 0.14 l/kg) than women not on OC steroids. The elimination t1/2 was longer (from 24.3 +/- 12 hr to 14.8 +/- 5.9 hr) and the clearance of unbound drug lower (from 5.7 +/- 3.0 ml/min/kg to 8.7 +/- 5.0 ml/min/kg) in women on OC steroids than in those not using them, but these differences were not statistically significant.

Lactation and pregnancy in Iran. II. Diet and nutritional status

Dietary intake in the third month postpartum and nutritional status during pregnancy close to term were assessed in Iranian urban uomen of low and middle socioeconomic status as part of a study investigating nutrition, hormonal status, and lactation in a population where lactation failure is a serious problem. Dietary intake was assessed by the 24-hr-recall method. The greatest differential in food groups consumed was in animal products, fruit, and vegetables. Intake of nutrients equal to or less than 80% of recommendations in both socioeconomic groups were energy, vitamin B6, folacin, calcium, iron, and zinc. In the low socio-economic group, only average intakes of vitamin C, thiamin and protein met the standards. Significant differences were found between the socioeconomic groups in hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum total protein, and protein fractions, but not in weight and height. The only parameters of nutritional status significantly correlated with adequacy of lactation were postpartum weight and percent of standard weight for height in the low socioeconomic group, and hematocrit values in the middle socioeconomic group. Differences between pregnant and postpartum individual values of the blood parameters were in general greater in the middle socioeconomic group than the low socioeconomic group.

Embryo mortality and altered uterine luminal proteins in progesterone-treated rabbits

This study was undertaken to elucidate the location, time, and nature of embryo mortality induced by preovulatory progesteron administration. Progesterone was injected into rabbits on days -2, -1, and 0 (the day of mating) at doses of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.0 mg, respectively. Normal fertilization rates resulted, but embryonic death occurred by day 4. Embryos residing in progesterone-treated does for up to 3 days survived normally when transferred to normal recipients, whereas day 4 embryos from treated does exhibited a reduced ability to implant. Uterine fluid (UF) protein pattern was examined on days 1 to 7 after mating. Total UF protein levels were significantly greater in treated animals on day 4 than in controls. Uteroglobin secretion was significantly advanced in the treated animals by day 3. Examination of the time of the arrival of embryos into the uterus revealed a delay in the progesterone-treated rabbits. This delay, coupled with the earlier secretion of uteroglobin in the treated rabbits, indicated a possible asynchrony of approximately 1 day between embryo arrival in the uterus and certain uterine proteins. To determine whether UF could be etiologically implicated in the progesterone-induced embryonic death, embryonic development in vitro and in vivo was examined after exposure to UF collected at different gestational stages. More normal day 3 morulae placed in UF from day 3 control and day 2 progesterone-treated rabbits developed than similar morulae placed in UF from day 2 controls and day 3 progesterone-treated does. Hence, partial physiologic synchrony was achieved. This was interpreted to mean that "asynchronous" UF can be embryotoxic. Infertility was transient. Ability of the does to produce young at a pregnancy immediately following a progesterone-treated pregnancy was not impaired.

Serum alpha-fetroprotein concentration in adult patients under corticoid, estroprogestative or androgen therapy

The serum alpha-fetoprotein concentration was measured by radioimmunoassy in 41 women with or without hormonal contraception, 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis given corticosteroids or not, and 6 patients under androgen therapy for aplastic anemia. None of these therapies induced any significant variation of the serum alpha-fetoprotein level. More extensive studies are needed to investigate the possible effect of these hormones on the metabolism of this protein at a cellular level.

Blood coagulation, fibrinolysis and plasma proteins in women with normal and with excessive menstrual blood loss

A group of women with excessive menstrual blood loss (menorrhagia) without any known local or general underlying disease was studied and compared to a group of women with normal menstrual blood loss. Blood coagulation, platelet function and fibrinolysis as well as a variety of plasma proteins were analyzed on six occasions during one menstrual cycle. Women with menorrhagia were found to have a slightly higher concentration of fibrinogen--fibrin degradation products, a higher factor V and VIII activity, higher antithrombin III, alpha 1-antitrypsin concentrations and higher antifibrinolytic activity than the normal women. The concentration of albumin, beta IE-globulin, orosomucoid, ceruloplasmin and IgG were lower in women with memorrhagia than in normals. The capillary fragility did not differ significantly between the groups. The observed differences in clotting factors between the groups could not have caused the differences in blood losses.

A quantitative study of the pregnancy zone protein in sera of woman taking oral contraceptives

By means of a single radial immunodiffusion the concentration of "the pregnancy zone protein" (PZ) was measured in sera from women taking oral contraceptive drugs. Woman taking only 0.3 mg. of norethisterone were found not to induce measurable amounts of PZ, whereas women taking combined contraceptive drugs showed a significant rise in concentration of PZ. After six months' treatment, 1 mg. of norethisterone and 0.1 mg. of meastranol daily were found to give an average concentration of PZ amounting to 59 mg. per 100 ml., that is, approximately half of the concentration of PZ in sera from women during the last trimester of pregnancy. Different combined contraceptive pills gave rise to different concentrations of PZ.

Diagnostic use of meternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in human maternal serum were elevated in 14 patients when measured by a radioimmunoassay. In 8 patients the elveated serum levels of AFP correlated with increased concentration of AFP in amiotic fluid and were diagnostic of fetal defects. The elevated AFP levels in the remaining 6 patients were shown to be the result of fetomaternal transfusion from either amniocentesis or natural causes. Serum samples drawn after amniocentesis through an anterior placenta may show false-positive elevations. The use of both maternal serum and amniotic fluid samples in pregnancies at high risk for neural tube defects can decrease the risk of diagnostic errors due to mistakes in gestational datind and may increase the diagnostic sensitivity of amniocentesis.

Induction of the "pregnancy zone" protein by conjugated oestrogens

Treatment with conjugated oestrogens was found to increase significantly the serum concentration of the pregnancy zone protein (PZ) in a group of postmenopausal women. The basic level of PZ before treatment was comparatively high in this group of women and might be related to age and previous pregnancies. Naturally occurring conjugated oestrogens have a similar effect on the induction of PZ as synthetic oestrogens.

[Immunochemical investigations on the protein of the "pregnancy zone". X. Demonstration of immunosuppressive activities of the pregnancy-associated alpha2-glycoprotein (pregnancy zone protein) by means of the macrophage electrophoretic mobility test (author's transl)]

By means of the macrophage electrophoretic mobility (MEM) test the supposed immunosuppressive activity of the pregnancy-associated alpha2-glycoprotein (pregnancy zone protein) could be demonstrated significantly. Pregnancy sera and sera of nonpregnant women with hormonal contraception containing this pregnancy protein showed an immunosuppresive activity, too. On the contrary, serum of male donors with the blood group AB and human serum albumin had no inhibitory effects. The results suggest that the pregnancy-associated alpha2-glycoprotein rather influences the afferent limb of the immune response and does not interfere with the activity of the mediator (migration inhibiting factor).

Alpha-Fetoprotein levels in normal males from seven ethnic groups with different hepatocellular carcinoma risks

Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) levels of 1,335 males (15 years and older) of seven ethnic groups (Chinese, Indians, and Malays from Singapore, Caucasians from Lyon, and Blacks from Nairobi, forest, and the savanna region of the Ivory Coast) were determined by radioimmunoassay. A few elevated levels (up to 30 nanounits/ml) were detected in some normal individuals, especially in the older age-groups. In addition, there was a systematic age-dependency of AFP levels particularly evident in the groups from Singapore-Lyon, in which there was a 50% AFP increase between the ages of 20 and 40. Comparison between Africans on the one hand and people from Singapore-Lyon on the other hand revealed highly significant differences (p less than 0.001), especially in the younger groups, whereas Chinese, Malays, and Indians from Singapore had very similar AFP pattern; this suggests an important role for environmental factors in the regulation of AFP levels. The age dependency of the presumed effect of environmental factors is in keeping with experimental data showing that young animals respond more vigorously to AFP-stimulating factors. Although the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) differs in the three Singapore groups (the highest in Chinese and the lowest in Indians), no relationship was observed in this study between mean AFP level and HCC incidence in Singapore.