Arterial reactivity is enhanced in genetic males taking high dose estrogens

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess whether high dose estrogen treatment is associated with enhanced arterial reactivity in genetic males. BACKGROUND: Although estrogens have been shown to enhance arterial reactivity in women, and are thereby thought to confer cardiovascular benefit, the vascular effects of long-term estrogen therapy in genetic males is unknown. METHODS: We studied the arterial physiology of 30 genetic males--15 male to female transsexuals receiving long-term high dose estrogen therapy and 15 healthy male control subjects matched for age, smoking history and vessel size. Using external vascular ultrasound, brachial artery diameter was measured at rest, after flow increase (causing endothelium-dependent dilation [EDD]) and after nitroglycerin (GTN), an endothelium-independent dilator. Blood pressure, cholesterol and testosterone levels were also measured in each subject. RESULTS: Total testosterone and free testosterone index levels were lower in the transsexuals compared with the control subjects (p < 0.001). In contrast, EDD was significantly higher in the transsexuals than in the control males (mean [+/-SD] 7.1 +/- 3.1% vs. 3.2 +/- 2.8%, p = 0.001), as was the GTN response (21.2 +/- 6.7% vs. 14.6 +/- 3.3%, p = 0.002). Total and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure levels and baseline vessel size were similar in the two groups. On multivariate analysis, enhanced EDD was associated independently with estrogen therapy (p = 0.02) and with low total cholesterol (p = 0.04). An enhanced GTN response was also significantly associated with estrogen therapy (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term treatment with high dose estrogens is associated with enhanced arterial reactivity in genetic males, which may be due to the effects of estrogen excess or androgen deprivation, or both.     

Use of the polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of leprosy

A case is described in which a pericardial branch of a nongrafted left internal mammary artery communicated directly with the distal left anterior descending artery, following saphenous vein bypass grafting. This type of collateralization following coronary artery bypass surgery seems to be very rare, and perhaps could protect the myocardium from severe ischemia.     

Cryopreservation of all prezygotes in patients at risk of severe hyperstimulation does not eliminate the syndrome, but the chances of pregnancy are excellent with subsequent frozen-thaw transfers

In-vitro fertilization patients (n = 15) at risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) (oestradiol > or =4500 pg/ml on the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin administration and 25 or more follicles of intermediate or large size) underwent aspiration of all follicles and cryopreservation of all fertilized oocytes at the pronuclear stage. Patients were monitored for up to 2 weeks post-retrieval. Subsequent transfer of cryopreserved-thawed embryos was performed in programmed cycles using exogenous oestrogen and progesterone for endometrial preparation. Two patients (13%) developed OHSS necessitating hospitalization and vaginal aspiration of ascitic fluid. Two other patients (13%) developed moderate OHSS requiring ascitic fluid vaginal aspiration in the office setting, with dramatic improvement of the condition. Subsequent transfer of cryopreserved-thawed embryos yielded a clinical pregnancy rate of 58% per transfer and ongoing or delivery rates of 42 and 67% per transfer and per patient respectively. By eliminating pregnancy potential with cryopreservation of all prezygotes and examining the pregnancy potential with subsequent cryopreserved-thawed transfers, it is concluded that OHSS is reduced, but not eliminated for patients at risk. Subsequent transfer of cryopreserved-thawed prezygotes in a programmed cycle with exogenous steroids yields an excellent pregnancy rate.     

Isolation of a genetic locus associated with metronidazole resistance in Helicobacter pylori

We examined the molecular mechanism of metronidazole resistance by constructing a lambda-Zap II phagemid expression library with genomic DNA from a metronidazole-resistance strain of Helicobacter pylori. Twenty-two clones were found to have elevated MTZ resistances in XLOLR strain of E. coli. Phagemids belonging to the twenty two clones were extracted and then retransformed into the XLOLR strain of E. coli. After MTZ selection, five clones could confer metronidazole resistance consistently. According to Southern hybridization and DNA sequencing, the five clones contained a same locus, recA. In addition, transforming the five clones into BL21 strain of E. coli produced a higher resistance to MTZ. Interestingly, electroporation of one of the five phagemid clones into two MTZ sensitive H. pylori yielded MTZ resistant strains. Comparing amino acid sequence in MTZ resistant with sensitive isolates revealed two point mutations at this locus. Above results suggest that mutation in recA may be associated with metronidazole resistance of H. pylori.     

Antiserum against Escherichia coli J5 contains antibodies reactive with outer membrane proteins of heterologous gram-negative bacteria

The binding of IgG in antiserum to Escherichia coli J5 to the surface of Enterobacteriaceae and to cell wall fragments released from serum-exposed bacteria was studied in a search for potentially protective epitopes other than lipopolysaccharide (LPS). IgG titers to multiple heterologous gram-negative smooth bacteria increased following incubation of the bacteria in serum and decreased following absorption with serum-exposed heterologous bacteria. IgG eluted from absorbing bacteria bound to at least three conserved bacterial outer membrane proteins (OMPs), but not LPS, as assessed by immunoblotting. The same OMPs were present in LPS-containing macromolecular cell wall fragments released by incubation of heterologous gram-negative bacteria in human serum. Part of the protection offered by J5 antiserum could be from binding of IgG to conserved OMPs at the bacterial surface or to OMPs in cell-wall fragments released from dying bacteria.     

Wideband chirp measurement technique for high bit rate sources

A Mach Zehnder (MZ) interferometer has been used as an optical discriminator to measure the time-resolved frequency chirp of an optical source     

Use of electrophoretic karyotyping and DNA-DNA hybridization in yeast identification

The behavioral disturbances of 16 nursing home patients with a history of sundowning behaviour and dementia were treated with light therapy instead of psychopharmacological medication. After the withdrawal of the before established medication a very individual, heterogenous deterioration of the symptoms was noted. A significant improvement of the behaviour was not found by light therapy in any patient. The problems in practical handling and possible consequences of further investigation are discussed.     

Developmental and behavioral effects of prenatal primidone exposure in the rat

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were administered primidone (PRM) by oral gavage on gestation days 8-17 in doses of 0.40, and 80 mg/kg. Although these doses of PRM did not produce significant differences in litter size, birth weight, mortality, date of attainment of developmental landmarks or measures of preweaning reflex and motor development, there were a number of significant differences that developed as the animals approached and entered adulthood. When tested as adults, the 80 mg/kg male rats showed a deficit in the performance of an eight-arm radial maze task. These same animals showed a significant reduction in open field activity when tested as adults. In addition, both male and female PRM-treated animals showed reduced body weights at different periods corresponding to onset of sexual maturation during development. These findings are consistent with the larger body of literature reporting on the neurobehavioral teratology of phenobarbital, including its ability to produce lesions in the hippocampus and endocrine dysfunction resulting in reproductive deficits. These results suggest that PRM produces its adverse effects as a result of its metabolism to phenobarbital, which in turn affects the limbic system.