Initial estradiol response predicts outcome of exogenous gonadotropins using a step-down dose regimen for induction of ovulation in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To study ovarian stimulation and response patterns during a gonadotropin step-down dose regimen for induction of ovulation by applying a decremental dose regimen in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients.

Design: The present prospective study involves 28 infertile clomiphene citrate-resistant PCOS patients during gonadotropin-induced cycles using a modified step-down dose regimen (and adjuvant GnRH agonist medication). Applied gonadotropin doses included initial daily doses of 150 IU IM followed by two reducing steps (37.

Endogenous reproductive hormones and nocturnal rhythms in partner preference and sexual behavior of ATD-treated male rats.

Male rats received subcutaneously silastic capsules, containing the aromatase inhibitor 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione (ATD), shortly after birth. Control males were given silastic capsules containing cholesterol. The capsules were removed at the age of 21 days.

Inhibin and oestradiol-17 beta in antral follicles of various size classes of cyclic rats.

On the various days of the 5-day oestrous cycle of the rat, ovarian antral follicles were dissected out and grouped in five size classes. Four follicles of the same size class were homogenized jointly in medium, after which inhibin-like bioactivity, inhibin immunoreactivity and oestradiol-17 beta content were measured. In general, there was a significant correlation between immunologically and biologically active inhibin levels in the different size classes; overall correlation was 0.

Further studies on the regulation, localization and function of the TRH-like peptide pyroglutamyl-glutamyl-prolineamide in the rat anterior pituitary gland.

Recent evidence shows that thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) immunoreactivity in the rat anterior pituitary gland is accounted for by the TRH-like tripeptide pyroglutamyl-glutamyl-prolineamide (pGlu-Glu-ProNH2, < EEP-NH2). The present study was undertaken to investigate further the regulation, localization and possible intrapituitary function of < EEP-NH2. Anterior pituitary levels of < EEP-NH2 were determined between days 5 and 35 of life, during the oestrous cycle and after treatment with the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonist Org 30276.

Temperature-induced down-regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor in peripheral blood mononuclear leucocyte in patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Objective: Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is of vital importance during critical illness. We have studied the adaptive mechanisms which occur at the level of the glucocorticoid receptor in glucocorticoid target tissues in patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Design: The effects of hypercortisolaemia, hyperthermia and cellular composition on number of glucocorticoid receptors per cell and their affinity were evaluated, both in vitro and in vivo, in peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes of control subjects and in patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Decremental follicle-stimulating hormone and dominant follicle development during the normal menstrual cycle.

Objective: To study the relationship between decreasing serum FSH levels in the follicular phase of the normal menstrual cycle and follicle development by means of transvaginal sonography and E2 production.

Design: Daily blood samples were taken and transvaginal sonography was performed every other day in 16 normal regularly cycling female volunteers.

Main Outcome Measure: Serum levels of FSH, LH, E2, and P and follicle diameter by transvaginal sonography.

High dose testosterone therapy for reduction of final height in constitutionally tall boys: does it influence testicular function in adulthood?

Objective: We have studied the effect of treatment with high doses of androgens during puberty on testicular function in adult men with constitutionally tall stature, taking into account confounding factors interfering with sperm quality, since existing published data do not include whether testicular function is impaired by such treatment.

Design: Historical cohort study.

Patients: Forty-three previously androgen treated tall men (cases) and 30 non-treated tall men (controls).

Endocrine activity of the postmenopausal ovary: the effects of pituitary down-regulation and oophorectomy.

The endocrine activity of the postmenopausal ovary and the effect of pituitary down-regulation were studied in a group of 35 postmenopausal women. All women underwent oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy. Fifteen women received a single dose of a depot GnRH agonist (GnRHa) 2 weeks before operation, whereas 20 women formed the control group.

Differential adaptation of glucocorticoid sensitivity of peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes in patients with sepsis or septic shock.

In view of the immunosuppressive action of glucocorticoids (GCs), the activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in patients with sepsis or septic shock is paradoxical. At the same time, administration of GCs to these patients is not clearly beneficial. We investigated the role of GCs in severe illness by measuring the sensitivity of peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes to GCs in a mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation assay.

Screening for depression among a well elderly population.

This article describes a geriatric wellness program in which social work practitioners played a major role. The focus of this article is twofold: to examine the use of a telephone screening test for depression among a well elderly population and to compare the results of that screening with the clinical judgment of social workers. Overall findings indicated that a telephone screening instrument incorporating the Rand Mental Health Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was an efficient tool for assessing a population with a higher rate of major depression.

Starvation-induced changes in the hypothalamic content of prothyrotrophin-releasing hormone (proTRH) mRNA and the hypothalamic release of proTRH-derived peptides: role of the adrenal gland.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms involved in the reduced thyroid function in starved, young female rats. Food deprivation for 3 days reduced the hypothalamic content of prothyrotrophin-releasing hormone (proTRH) mRNA, the amount of proTRH-derived peptides (TRH and proTRH160-169) in the paraventricular nucleus, the release of proTRH-derived peptides into hypophysial portal blood and the pituitary levels of TSH beta mRNA. Plasma TSH was either not affected or slightly reduced by starvation, but food deprivation induced marked increases in plasma corticosterone and decreases in plasma thyroid hormones.

Plasma testosterone in fetal rats and their mothers on day 19 of gestation.

Plasma testosterone levels were higher in pooled samples from male fetuses than from female fetuses on day 19 of pregnancy. Plasma testosterone from female fetuses with males located caudally in the uterus was higher than from females that lacked such males. Testosterone level of both male and female fetuses was correlated with maternal testosterone.

Possible side effects of airborne pesticides on fungi and vascular plants in The Netherlands.

A survey of the potential side effects of volatilized pesticides on fungi and vascular plants in The Netherlands has been made for two herbicides (atrazine and MCPA), a fungicide (captan) and a soil fumigant (metham sodium). By applying existing models, a prediction is presented of post-treatment dispersal and deposition due to volatilization, both at short and long ranges, and of the potential side effects on fungi and vascular plants. The general conclusion is that side effects (stunting and growth anomalies) are to be expected outside the target area, especially close (< 500 m) to treated plots with atrazine and metham sodium.

Factors affecting self-ratings of oral health.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship of self-rated oral health to a comprehensive battery of clinical, sociodemographic, physical health, and mental health measures in a well-elderly urban population.

Methods: Results are based on telephone interviews and clinical assessments of 550 subjects over 65 years of age participating in a Los Angeles-based Medicare project during 1990. Subjects were mostly female, white (89%), with above-average income.

Recombinant FSH (Org32489) induces follicle growth and ovulation in the adult cyclic rat.

The effects of a single injection of recombinant human FSH (rhFSH; Org32489) on ovulation rate and timing and on antral follicle growth were studied in adult 5-day cyclic rats. Rats injected at 1700 h on dioestrus-2 with a dose of 10 IU rhFSH showed, on average, no increase in ovulation rate on the day of expected oestrus. However, an additional, precocious ovulation resulting in a normal number of corpora lutea (13.

Heterogeneity in the in vitro survival and proliferation of human seminoma cells.

The in vitro culture conditions allowing survival and initial proliferation of murine primordial germ cells from 10.5 days post coitum embryos, which include the use of a murine embryonal fibroblast (STO) feeder, were applied to 21 human seminomas, composed of tumour cells which are considered as the malignant counterparts of human primordial germ cells. Cells from 18 seminomas attached poorly to STO, and only a few survived through day 10.

Radiosensitivity of testicular cells in the prepubertal mouse.

The effects of total-body X irradiation on the prepubertal testis of the CBA/P mouse have been studied. At either day 14 or day 29 post partum male mice were exposed to single doses of X rays ranging from 1.5-6.

Peritubular myoid cells from immature rat testes secrete activin-A and express activin receptor type II in vitro.

The expression of activin type II and IIB receptors and inhibin alpha-, beta A-, and beta B-subunit messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and the secretion of immunoreactive and bioactive activin during culture of testicular peritubular myoid cells and peritubular myoid cell lines were studied. Cultured peritubular myoid cells and cell lines expressed high levels of inhibin beta A-subunit mRNA and some inhibin alpha- and beta B-subunit mRNA. Activin receptor type II mRNA was also detected, whereas activin receptor type IIB mRNA expression was not found.

Health promotion and disease prevention for older adults: opportunity for change or preaching to the converted?

Health promotion and disease prevention for the elderly offer the potential for improving the quality of life for the growing population of older adults, while reducing the economic burden on the health system. Whether this potential can be realized depends, in part, on whether those older adults whose health behaviors put them at risk actually use preventive services when offered the opportunity. In 1988 the Health Care Financing Administration began a series of health promotion demonstrations to address health issues related to older adults.

Pre-clinical and clinical treatment of breast cancer with antiprogestins.

Antiprogestins form a new potential treatment modality for breast cancer and their mode of action has been assessed in vitro on several breast cancer cell lines, in vivo in rats with dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumours and in vivo in patients with metastatic breast cancer. In vitro in serum-free medium, the progestin Org 2058 and antiprogestins RU486 and Org 31710 caused a dose-dependently stimulated MCF7 cell growth. Both antiprogestins dose-dependently inhibited the oestrogen-stimulated proliferation of progesterone receptor (PgR)-rich T-47D cells in DCC medium.

Secretion of steroids, growth factors, and cytokines by immortalized mouse granulosa cell lines.

The expression and function of gonadotropin receptors, and the secretion of steroids, transferrin, and cytokines were investigated in three immortalized (single transfection with v-myc) mouse granulosa cell lines (GRM01, GRM01L, and GRM02). A dose-dependent increase in progesterone production was obtained in GRM01 and GRM02 cells after addition of LH, FSH, modulators of the adenylate cyclase enzyme system, and cAMP analogues. The LH-induced release of progesterone was already detectable in GRM02 cells after 8 h and was related to incubation time and cell number.

Testicular and serum levels of inhibin and expression of inhibin subunit mRNAs are differentially affected by hemicastration in rats of various ages.

Age-related short-term effects of hemicastration on testicular weight, serum FSH, immunoreactive inhibin, LH and testosterone, testicular levels of inhibin subunit mRNA expression, and bioactive and immunoreactive inhibin were studied in rats of 8, 15 and 22 days of age. Hemicastration led to an increased weight of the remaining testis after 24 h in 8- and 15-day-old rats, but not in 22-day-old rats. Serum FSH levels were elevated in all hemicastrated rats after 8 h.

Expression of inhibin subunit mRNAs and inhibin levels in the testes of rats with stage-synchronized spermatogenesis.

Inhibin alpha- and beta B-subunit mRNA expression, and levels of bioactive and immunoreactive inhibin were studied in rat testes, synchronized for the stage of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium by treating vitamin A-deficient rats with vitamin A. Measurement of inhibin subunit mRNA expression and inhibin levels was started directly after the start of vitamin A treatment, and continued for 65 days. Inhibin subunit mRNA expression, and testicular bioactive and immunoreactive inhibin levels increased after the start of vitamin A treatment, reaching maximum values after 9 days, when B spermatogonia and preleptotene spermatocytes had appeared in the stage-synchronized testes.