Short-term effect of oophorectomy on lipoprotein metabolism

The influence of steroid hormones on lipoprotein metabolism has been investigated in menstruating women undergoing oophorectomy; indeed, by this procedure, it is possible to alter selectively the secretion of the hormones and thus to determine the influence of their withdrawal on blood lipids. Within 3 months of surgery we observed significant rapid changes in cholesterol levels of total and HDL-bound components (early decrease and subsequent increase) without alteration of the triglyceride component of the lipoproteins. Similar biphasic changes were observed for the apolipoproteins A and B, determined by immunological methods. These results are suggestive of an action of sex hormones on the lipoprotein metabolism, both on the lipid and the protein moieties. They can be explained by a primary action of the hormones on the apolipoprotein metabolism and a secondary apoprotein-mediated effect on the lipid component of the lipoproteins.

[Clinical and angiographic aspects of medullary angiomas]

The authors present six personal cases of medullary angiomas: three cases of retromedullary, one of intramedullary and two of intra-retromedullary vascular malformations. One of two last cases was associated with a paravertebral arteriovenous malformation. The neuroradiologic investigations include a water-soluble myelography, with hypocicloidal tomography, and spinal cord selective angiography. The latter present many advantages of the aortography, for feeding arteries visualization, but the site of the shunt inside the intervertebral foramen can be localized only by angiotomography. In our cases neurological complications or clinical worsening were not found.

Blood prolactin levels: influence of age, menstrual cycle and oral contraceptives

The relationships between the serum levels of estradiol, progesterone and prolactin have been analysed in normal women in relation to age, to menstrual cycle, and in oral contraceptives users. We have been able to detect significant differences between the prolactinemia values during the cycle in different age groups as well as following oral contraceptives. A word of caution is presented for the evaluation of the prolactin blood level which should always be related to the physiological phase of the cycle and to the age of the subjects.

Myelography with iopamidol, a nonionic water-soluble contrast medium: incidence of complications

A review of immediate and delayed side effects noted in a consecutive series of 1,138 myelograms made with Iopamidol in the Services of Neuroradiology of various hospitals and university clinics at Pavia, Perugia, Vicenza, and Parma (all in Italy). The contrast was administered by lumbar spinal route at iodine concentrations of 200, 300 and 370 mg/ml, in amounts varying from 5 to 20 ml depending on segments being examined and extant clinical indications. The incidence and characteristics of complications (headache, nausea, vomiting, evidence of radicular irritation, etc.) were assessed in relation to examination technics, segments of spine being explored, iodine concentrations, and amounts of contrast injected.

Cytological localization of inverted repeated DNA sequences in Vicia faba

Inverted repeated DNA sequences have been isolated from sheared Vicia faba DNA by hydroxylapatite column chromatography, treated with nuclease S1, tritiated by the nick translation method and hybridized in situ on squashes of Vicia faba root tips. Silver grains appear grouped in a rather limited portion of interphase nuclei and form a sort of band across them. The central regions of metaphase chromosomes are preferentially labeled, labeling being excluded from telomeres, centromeres and secondary constrictions. These results are briefly discussed in relation to those obtained in other species and the functional significance of inverted repeats.

Symptomatic subependymoma of the fourth ventricle. Case report

Symptomatic subependymomas of the fourth ventricle are rare and usually not included in the preoperative differential diagnosis of tumors in this region. The case of a 63-year-old man with fourth ventricle subependymoma is described. For several years he had suffered with nausea and vomiting, and now presented signs of direct involvement of the posterior fossa. He was investigated preoperatively with computerized tomography, but the ultimate diagnosis was not suspected at that time. The tumor was diagnosed as an subependymoma at operation and was totally excised. This tumor type can easily be recognized on intraoperative frozen section, and its diagnosis should always lead to an attempt at complete surgical removal.

An indication on the biological variability of aerosol total deposition in humans

A technique for the assessment of the total deposition efficiency, DE, in the human respiratory tract is described. It is based on the use of non-wettable solid spherical monodisperse particles in the 0.3 to 1.5 micron range and on the measurement of particle concentrations in the inhaled and exhaled air. The results of total deposition measurements as a function of particle size taken on 6 volunteers are presented. A wide variability has been found among the subjects; it is discussed and, in contrast with some literature data, there is no apparent correlation with normal expiratory reserve volumes, ERVN. Therefore at 0.6 micron the deposition has been measured at various ERV. The scatter of data is considerable, but it can be greatly reduced if the relative deposition (ratio of the effective DE to DEN, the deposition at "normal" volumes) is expressed as a function of the relative ERV, (the ratio of the effective ERV to the normal ERVN). Measurements have been performed with monodisperse and unipolarly charged particles on two subjects characterized by different DEN and ERVN. The contribution of electrostatic effects to deposition was not distinguishable in the two subjects.

Inhalation of a radioactively labeled monodisperse aerosol in rats for the assessment of regional deposition and clearance

Unanesthesized male Sprague-Dawley rats, averaging 261 g of weight (s.d. = 9 g), were exposed to a radioactively (198Au) labeled monodisperse carnauba wax aerosol, whose AMMD was 0.54 micrometers with a sigma g of 1.1, to determined the alveolar deposition and clearance of particles. Results indicate that 74% of the initial lung burden is cleared in phase one with a T/2 of 11 hours. The remaining 26%, conventionally considered to be the alveolar deposit, is cleared with a T22 of 320 hours. Excised lungs from serial sacrifices have also been measured. The retention curve resulting form the pooled lung data per each day compared well with the curve of the whole animals counted in vivo.