Effects of progesterone or luteinizing hormone on folliculogenesis in intact or hypophysectomized immature hamsters

Since exogenous progesterone (P4) causes superovulation in hypophysectomized (hypoxed) cyclic hamsters treated with gonadotropins, the current study was performed to evaluate the roles of P4 and luteinizing hormone (LH) as a folliculotropic complex in the immature hamster. Intact or hypoxed immature hamsters were injected daily, beginning on Day 23, with 1 mg P4 and/or 20 micrograms LH for 4 days. Treatment with P4 alone or combined with LH in intact immature hamsters increased the number of antral follicles (6.7 and 4.3, respectively, vs. 1.5 per ovary in controls), but neither treatment maintained large follicles in hypoxed animals. In contrast, in hypoxed hamsters, the number of small preantral follicles was enhanced by P4 or LH (406 and 409, respectively, compared to 302 per ovary in untreated controls), but with no additive effects by combined treatment. The stimulatory effect of P4 in intact hamsters was unrelated to serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, or LH. Moreover, in the hypoxed hamster, P4 or LH acts directly to increase the numbers of small preantral follicles with 2 to 5 layers of granulosa cells, whereas equally large doses of stilbestrol or estradiol cyclopentylpropionate are ineffective. In the hypoxed or intact hamster, the effects of P4 or LH may involve either recruitment of smaller follicles into larger stages or prevention of atresia. The present experimental design can not distinguish between these possibilities.

Nuclear magnetic resonance microscopic ocular imaging for the detection of early-stage cataract

A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) microscopic ocular imaging was performed at 7.0 Tesla to investigate its usefulness in the detection of early-stage cataracts. For this study, galactose cataracts were generated in experimental rabbits through diet (35% galactose), and enucleated eyes were imaged at various times after initiation of the diet. In previous studies using a 0.6 Tesla conventional magnetic resonance imager (MRI), the contrast between normal and cataractous tissues in the lens was not well defined, mainly due to the partial volume effect coming from the limitation of resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). With resolution of 60 X 60 X 80 microns, early localized precataractous tissue changes were clearly observed after 5 days diet. Precataractous tissue changes were seen histologically but no visible evidence of lens change was detected by the conventional slit lamp biomicroscope at this time. Substantially elongated spin-spin relaxation times (T2) in localized cataractous tissues (72.4 +/- 8.8 msec) were consistently observed compared with those in normal lens region (16.1 +/- 3.2 msec); however, the changes of the spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) were not significant. Some ocular NMR microscopic images with corresponding histological photographs are demonstrated to show the potential of NMR microscopy.

The role of serial angiography in the management of bacterial and fungal intracranial aneurysms--report of two cases and review of the literature

The authors review 149 cases of bacterial and mycotic intracranial aneurysms reported since 1957 and describe two cases of bacterial aneurysms managed in their institution. The overall mortality rate was 39%. Bacterial aneurysms accounted for 0.49-4.3% of all intracranial aneurysms. Among the reported cases, the mortality rate for patients treated with antibiotics alone was high, whereas it was low among those who underwent elective surgery. The authors conclude the following: 1) Distal aneurysms should be treated with high-dose antibiotics and followed with serial cerebral angiography at 7 days, 14 days, 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year after the initiation of therapy; 2) proximal aneurysms should be treated with high-dose antibiotics, and surgery is rarely indicated; 3) any significant associated hematoma should be evacuated and the aneurysm resected, if possible; and 4) if serial angiography shows enlargement of an aneurysm, surgery should be considered. The clinical features and management of mycotic and bacterial aneurysms are discussed in detail.

Timolol side effects and inadvertent overdosing

The case reports demonstrate that significant and potentially dangerous side effects from timolol maleate occur as a result of inadvertent overdosing. Because many glaucoma patients are elderly and vision is frequently impaired, overdosing may be the mechanism of side effects in many patients especially the elderly. A simple dropper that would withdraw only one drop and deliver the same would resolve this problem.

Nucleolar organizer regions of lymphomas in Korea

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) are loops of DNA which occur in the nucleoli of cells and which possess ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. The numbers and/or configurations of NORs have been thought to be related to cellular activities. To assess the applicability of NORs associated protein (Ag-NORs) in the field of diagnostic histopathology, a silver staining was done in paraffin sections of malignant lymphomas, tonsils and reactive lymph nodes and the numbers of Ag-NORs in the nuclei of low-grade and those of high-grade lymphomas were compared. A significant difference was found between the numbers of Ag-NORs in the nuclei of low-grade lymphoma (a mean of 1.3 per nucleus) and those of high-grade lymphomas (a mean of 4.2 to 8.3 per nucleus). The Ag-NORs were often observed in nuclei in areas where nucleoli themselves were not visible in H&E stain. It is suggested that this method would be of great value in the field of tumor histopathology.

Conservative treatment of tuberculosis of the thoracic and lumbar spine in adults and children

We have treated 75 cases of spinal tuberculosis with chemotherapy as outpatients. The drugs used were INH, rifampicin and ethambutol for the 48 adults, and INH, rifampicin and PAS for the 27 children. No operations, apart from the evacuation of large abscesses, were carried out. Every patient was followed up for at least three years and the outcome was judged to be favourable in 95%. This is better than in some series in which radical surgery has been used. Although we recognize the advantages of operation in certain circumstances, we believe that our conservative regimen can be confidently recommended for use in less privileged countries, where adequate facilities for hospital treatment may not be available.

Effect of estrogens on follicular development and ovarian and uterine estrogen receptors in the immature rabbit, guinea pig and mouse

Immature rabbits, guinea pigs and mice were injected with estradiol cyclopentylpropionate (ECP) or diethylstilbestrol (DES) for 3 days to evaluate whether estrogen enhances follicular maturation. Also, estrogen receptors in the ovary and uterus from these animals were measured. Uterine weight increased in all animals treated with ECP or DES, whereas actual ovarian weight increased only in the guinea pig. This correlated with the ability of estrogens to significantly increase the number of antral follicles in the guinea pig ovary. In the rabbit and mouse, estrogen increased only the number of small or large preantral follicles. However, the number of estrogen binding sites in the ovarian cytosol and nucleus was greater in the rabbit and the mouse than in the guinea pig. The affinity of ovarian cytosol receptors was the lowest for the guinea pig among the 3 species. Thus it is seen that estrogen does not enhance follicular maturation in all animal species. The ovarian response to estrogen is not only dependent upon estrogen receptors but also unknown mechanism(s) that may be related to paracrine or autocrine functions.

Blood-flow measurement in muscle with Xe-133

An alternative method to the conventional miniature probe system for the measurement of blood flow in muscle has been developed. Xenon-133 was injected into the quadriceps muscles of ten subjects. A gamma camera and an online computer were then used to measure the half-clearance time of the Xe-133 while the subject was both at rest and exercising on an upright bicycle ergometer. The blood flow in the muscle was then calculated from the acquired data.

Differences in the pattern of weight growth of nutritionally at-risk and well-nourished infants

A mathematical model was used to examine the patterns of weight growth of two groups of infants exposed to various ecological and nutritional conditions and practices. Statistical comparison of the parameters of weight model estimated from longitudinal data demonstrated different level and profile contour of weight growth in these two populations. In addition to differences in the growth levels, the growth patterns of these two groups are significantly different. The Taiwanese infants experience more pronounced upward and downward changes in growth velocity than the United States (US) infants in the first 6 mo of life. In the second 6 mo, the US infants show a decline in growth velocity whereas the Taiwanese infants maintain a low and constant growth rate. Possible explanations for the different growth profile of the Taiwanese infants in the first 6 mo may be related to: catch-up growth after possible intrauterine undernutrition, genetic growth pattern of Taiwanese infants, and growth characteristics of breast-fed infants.

Primary well differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma of the lung--a clinical and immunohistochemical study of four cases

Four cases of well differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma with or without plasmacytoid differentiation of the lung are described. Two cases were single and the others were multiple. Histologic pictures of the lesion showed mass with perivascular, interstitial and alveolar extension in three cases and only interstitial and perivascular involvement in one. Histologically three cases were lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma and one was small lymphocytic lymphoma. Dutcher bodies, granulomas and germinal centers were also found in tumors. Immunohistochemical study revealed monoclonal lymphocytic proliferation in all cases in fresh frozen sections and in three in paraffin sections. Treatment is surgical resection. Chemotherapy is used for residual disease after surgery.

Stimulatory and inhibitory effects of progesterone on follicular development in the hypophysectomized follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone-treated hamster

Cyclic hamsters hypophysectomized at estrus (Day 1 of the cycle) and injected with 5 micrograms follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on Day 1 and 20 micrograms luteinizing hormone (LH) in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) from Days 1-4 ovulated 15.3 ova, in response to 30 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administered at 1500 h on Day 4 (Kim and Greenwald, 1984). When 1 mg progesterone (P4) was administered daily from Days 1-4 concurrent with the above regimen, ovulation increased to 38 ova, a clearcut superovulatory response. However, daily injection of 1, 10, or 100 micrograms P4 plus FSH and LH reduced the number of antral follicles present on the afternoon of Day 4 to 3-4 per ovary, compared to 9 per ovary after FSH-LH alone, and the ovulation rate was drastically reduced with most animals being anovulatory. Substituting 1 mg 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone or estradiol cyclopentylpropionate for P4 on Days 1-4 did not alter the number of antral follicles on Day 4 from FSH-LH alone, whereas 1 mg androstenedione or 1 mg testosterone cyclopentylpropionate reduced the number of antral follicles to 3 or less. Hence, the stimulatory effects of 1 mg P4 are not attributable to its conversion to other P4 derivatives. After the concurrent injection of 1 mg P4 and FSH-LH, on the afternoon of Day 3, an average of only 1.8 large preantral follicles was present per ovary. By the morning of Day 4, however, the ovary contained 14 large preantral and early antral follicles in addition to 8 large antral follicles. Injection of hCG at this time resulted in the ovulation of 14.5 ova.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase-X by imino-derivatives of gossypol:structure activity relationship

Six imino-derivatives (II, III, IV, V, VI, VII) of gossypol (I) have been synthesized, and their effects were evaluated on the purified mouse lactate dehydrogenase-X. Three of these derivatives (V, VI, VII) with aldehyde groups substituted with hydrophobic functionalities showed equivalent or more inhibitory effects on lactate dehydrogenase-X than gossypol, whereas three other derivatives (II, III, IV) with aldehyde groups substituted with hydrophilic functional groups lost the ability to inhibit lactate dehydrogenase-X. It is suggested that two aldehyde groups of gossypol are not essential to inhibit lactate dehydrogenase-X. Furthermore, the hydrophobic property of the gossypol molecule seems to play a more important role in inhibiting lactate dehydrogenase-X. Therefore, lactate dehydrogenase-X inhibition by gossypol may not be associated with its antifertility mechanism, because the aldehyde group of gossypol is known to be required for its antifertility effect.

Estrogen receptors in ovary and uterus of immature hamster and rat: effects of estrogens

Cytosolic and nuclear estrogen receptors in the ovary and uterus of immature rats and hamsters were determined to evaluate why exogenous estrogens were ineffective in stimulating follicular maturation in the hamster compared to the rat. Animals were injected sc with oil or single injection of 1 mg estradiol cyclopentylpropionate (ECP) on Day 23 or a daily injection of 2 mg diethylstilbestrol (DES) on Days 23-25 and killed on Day 26. Total binding sites for estrogen in ovarian cytosol of control hamsters were half the number in the rat ovary (28 fmole/mg protein) and about 50% of the receptors were occupied in the hamster. The apparent affinity of the estrogen-cytosol receptor complex was also lower in the hamster (Kd; 1.41 nM) than in the rat (Kd; 0.52 nM). After ECP treatment, there was a tendency for translocation in all 4 tissues examined even though some differences were not statistically significant. However, after DES treatment both cytosol and nuclear estrogen receptors decreased in both species. This discrepancy may be due to the difference in the time course of the nuclear translocation, the difference in metabolism and difference in the binding potencies of ECP and DES. The lack of ovarian responsiveness to estrogen in the hamster thus appears to be due to the reduced number of cytosol receptor sites which have a low affinity for estrogen and are already partially occupied.

Cavernous angioma of the cauda equina producing subarachnoid hemorrhage. Case report

A case of a cavernous angioma of the cauda equina is presented. The patient was a 28-year-old man who experienced sudden low-back pain and headache without neurological symptoms. Lumbar puncture revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage. He had suffered a similar episode 3 years previously. Selective spinal angiography did not demonstrate any abnormal vascularity. Metrizamide myelography and magnetic resonance imaging were useful in demonstrating the presence of a tumor. Laminectomy at L1-3 and total removal of the tumor were performed without neurological deficit.

Occupied and unoccupied FSH receptors in follicles of cyclic, hypophysectomized or hypophysectomized/gonadotropin-treated hamsters

Occupied and unoccupied FSH receptors were measured in follicles from intact cyclic hamsters or in animals hypophysectomized on day 1 (= estrus) which were untreated or given ovine FSH on day 1 plus LH on days 1-4 or FHS and LH plus 1 mg progesterone on days 1-4. Intact hamsters, from days 2-4, the number of occupied and unoccupied FSH receptors and receptor affinity was unchanged in antral follicles. For the untreated hypophysectomized hamsters, serum FSH was undetectable beyond day 3 but receptor affinity increased on day 2 and the number of occupied FSH receptors was still very high on day 4. Thus, in the hypophysectomized untreated hamster the ovary is not hormonally deprived - at least up until day 4. Treatment of the hypophysectomized hamsters with FSH-LH restored all follicular values of levels of intact hamsters on days 2 and 3. On day 4, although serum FSH was undetectable since day 3 the number of occupied FSH receptors was 70% of control values. The FSH-LH regimen developed by day 4 large antral follicles in the hypophysectomized hamsters. Collectively, the experiments demonstrate that in intact hamsters as a result of the prolonged peak of serum FSH on day 1 FSH binds avidly to receptors in granulosa cells and persists until day 4. Thus, the follicles in the hypophysectomized groups develop in response to exogenous LH but with hamster FSH still present, bound to granulosa cells.

Steroidogenic effects of lipoproteins and 25-hydroxycholesterol on luteal and ovarian cells: a comparison of two pseudopregnant rat models

Steroidogenesis was compared between luteal cells from immature pseudopregnant (PSP) rats induced by either 5 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) alone or 50 IU PMSG combined with 25 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). It was also determined whether differences in steroidogenesis existed when the entire ovary (ovarian cells) or just luteal cells from Day 4 PSP rats were exposed in vitro to lipoproteins or 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OH chol). In the absence of luteinizing hormone (LH), basal steroid accumulation, especially progesterone (P4) was around fourfold greater in luteal cells from rats treated with PMSG alone than from rats receiving PMSG-hCG. However, serum P4 and LH were about fivefold greater in the latter group. It is therefore likely that net cellular cholesterol uptake per luteal cell is lower in the PMSG-hCG treated rats, but this is offset by a much greater mass and number of corpora lutea. Lipoproteins (HDL and LDL) and 25-OH chol stimulated in vitro luteal steroidogenesis from rats treated with PMSG alone or PMSG-hCG, and their responses were virtually identical. Therefore, luteal steroidogenesis in the rat always depends on exogenous cholesterol even though treatment in the preovulatory period with PMS or PMSG-hCG and serum LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels on Day 4 PSP are very different. When ovarian cells from PMSG-hCG treated rats were incubated with LH plus HDL or 25-OHP, the production of 20 alpha-DHP was considerably greater than luteal cell production which may be due to a contribution from nonluteal cells. Indeed, about 30% of the cells in the PMSG-hCG group represent nonluteal components as estimated by weight and deoxyribonucleic acid content.

Iron deficiency anemia and educational achievement

The present study investigates the effect of iron supplementation on measures of school performance among 78 iron-deficient anemic and 41 nonanemic children in an economically deprived rural area in Central Java, Indonesia. All the subjects were treated for ancylostomiasis before iron supplementation. They were randomly assigned to either an iron or placebo group. Hematological and behavioral measurements were obtained immediately before (T1) and after (T2) the iron and placebo treatments. Iron treatment for a 3-mo period resulted in substantive increases in mean Hgb, Hct, and transferrin saturation among the iron-deficient anemic children. Furthermore, changes in the iron status of iron-deficient anemic children were associated with significant changes in the school achievement test scores of iron-deficient anemic children. T2 evaluation of achievement test scores indicated that the difference between iron-treated anemic and nonanemic children was still statistically significant. However, when T1 scores were entered as a covariate, iron-deficient anemic subjects treated with iron obtained significantly higher delta achievement scores. Findings from the present study indicate that iron supplementation among iron-deficient anemic children benefits learning processes as measured by the school achievement test scores.

Evidence for rapid loss of spare hCG receptors in the corpora lutea of the hypophysectomized rat

In pregnant mare serum gonadotropin treated immature rats hypophysectomized on the day of ovulation (day 1) the corpora lutea (CL) persist as normal morphological structures and produce steroids, especially 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (20 alpha-DHP), for at least 40 days (Taya and Greenwald, 1982), although there is a rapid decline in human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) binding sites (Kim and Greenwald, 1984). In this study the number of occupied and non-occupied hCG receptors in CL from hypophysectomized rats decreased to 14% and 36%, respectively, compared to intact day 5 pseudopregnant animals, but the binding affinity was unchanged. Decreased concentration of occupied hCG receptors paralleled hormonal levels of serum luteinizing hormone (LH) which were measurable in only 9 out of 20 animals and were near the lower limits of the assay (40 pg/ml). Luteal progesterone (P4) production in response to LH was markedly decreased after hypophysectomy, but the maximal P4 response to LH and 20 alpha-DHP production in response to LH and 8-Br-cAMP were the same in hypophysectomized and intact animals. Although hCG receptor concentration in CL decreased significantly after hypophysectomy, LH-stimulated luteal production of cAMP was almost the same in both groups. These results indicate that LH spare receptors which are uncoupled from cAMP exist in the CL of the intact pseudopregnant rat and that after hypophysectomy they quickly disappear within 4 days.

Leydig cell tumors of the testis. A clinicopathological analysis of 40 cases and review of the literature

The clinical and pathological features of 40 Leydig cell tumors of the testis were analyzed. The patients ranged from 2 to 90 (average 46.5) years of age. The most common initial manifestation was testicular swelling, which was sometimes associated with gynecomastia; 15% of the patients presented because of gynecomastia and were found to have palpable testicular tumors. All three children were brought to the physician because of isosexual pseudoprecocity. The tumors, one of which was asynchronously bilateral, ranged from 0.5 to 10.0 (average 3) cm in greatest diameter. They were usually well circumscribed, but in seven of them the margin with the adjacent testis was ill-defined. On microscopic examination the most common pattern was that of diffuse sheets of neoplastic cells, but insular, trabecular, pseudotubular, and ribbon-like patterns were also encountered. The neoplastic cells were most often large and polygonal with abundant eosinophilic, slightly granular cytoplasm; occasionally the cytoplasm was abundantly vacuolated. In eight tumors some of the cells were spindle-shaped, and in six some had scanty cytoplasm. Crystalloids of Reinke were identified in 35% of the tumors. Conspicuous nuclear atypicality was present in 12 tumors and the mitotic rate ranged from less than 1 to 32/10 high-power fields. Blood vessel invasion, lymphatic invasion, or both were identified in four tumors. Follow-up of 2 months to 22 years (average 4 years) was available for 30 patients. Five of them died as a result of spread of their tumor. A comparison of the clinically malignant tumors with those associated with survival for 2 or more years postoperatively revealed that the former occurred in older patients and were accompanied by symptoms of shorter duration and an absence of endocrine manifestations. The malignant tumors were larger, often had an infiltrative margin and had spread beyond the testis, frequently exhibited blood vessel or lymphatic invasion, and had a greater degree of cellular atypia and necrosis and a higher mitotic rate than the benign tumors.