Hirsutism: common clinical problem or index of serious disease?

Hirsutism is a clinical condition commonly encountered in the practice of primary care medicine. The etiology and the age of the patient when it occurs vary widely. Causes range from a basic illness or condition (drug exposure, smoking, idiopathic, and obesity) to complex and serious diseases (Cushing's syndrome, neoplasms, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, insulin-resistance syndromes, hyperprolactinemia, polycystic ovary syndrome, and hyperthecosis). Hirsutism may appear in childhood as well as in older persons. Some drugs (oral contraceptives, L-thyroxine, danazol, and diazoxide), tobacco smoke, some syndromes (polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, hyperprolactinemia, hyperthecosis, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and idiopathic), and some neoplasms (adrenal or ovarian) may lead to hirsutism. The most frequently defined "causes" of hirsutism are polycystic ovary syndrome and idiopathic hirsutism. In hirsutism of gradual onset, hyperprolactinemia, insulin-resistance syndromes, hyperthecosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and idiopathic hirsutism may be responsible. Cushing's syndrome, neoplasms, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia should be suspected if there has been rapid onset.     

Are indirect measures of abundance a useful index of population density? The case of red grouse harvesting

Indirect measures of population abundance, such as harvest data, are often used to make inference on long term population dynamics when direct data are either not available or are logistically difficult to obtain. However, when harvesting records are used, a common concern is that they may not reflect actual population abundance. We investigated the extent to which harvest data reflected changes in population density of the red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus in Great Britain. We used 92 independently managed populations over the period 1977–2000 and examined the temporal and spatial variability of the hunting records and independently obtained count data from each of these managed estates. Three different analyses support the conclusion that grouse hunting records are a reliable indicator of grouse abundance: 1) the number of red grouse shot in autumn showed a tendency to be linearly related to the density of individuals counted in the summer prior to the harvesting, 2) the relationships between the variance and the mean in the harvesting and corresponding count data, calculated over different populations at the same time, or the same locations at different times, were not statistically distinguishable, 3) similar direct and delayed density dependence patterns were observed in hunting records and count data. Our results suggest that red grouse hunting time series are a good proxy for population abundance.     

Types of phytomass — and leaf area index profiles in grassland vegetation

Various types of grasslands in the Netherlands were catagorized by their structure: phytomass and leaf area were measured in arbitrarily chosen vegetation layers with width intervals of 2.5, 5, 10 or 20 cm, depending on the height of the sward. Data were standardized for fixed width of layers (layer width set), and for equal numbers of layers of varying width (layer number set). Data were clustered by Ward's method as well as ordinated by Principal Components Analysis (PCA). The cluster method revealed 6 groups; those of the layer number sets could be contrasted in their vertical built-up of leaf area index (LAI) — and phytomass profiles and could be characterized ecologically. The ordinations confirmed the findings of the cluster analyses. In our data grassland structure varied mainly along a gradient from constant and sufficient to strongly varying soil water supply during the growing season, and a gradient in soil nutrients from rich to poor. Sites with constant water supply appeared more often nutrient-rich and those with a varying water supply more often poor in nutrients.Nomenclature of syntaxa follows Westhoff & Den Held (1969).Acknowledgements: Financial support for this study was obtained from the Foundation for Fundamental Biological Research (BION) under grant nr. 14.75.18. We thank R. K. Peet and M. P. Austin for their useful comments.Dedicated to Prof. H. F. Linskens (Nijmegen) on the occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Is the “Difference index” useful for assessment of protein relatedness?

This paper assesses the usefulness of the Difference Index (Metzger, Shapiro, Mosimann &; Vinton, 1968) for predicting, from amino acid compositions, whether two proteins are related or unrelated. It is concluded that, with a 5 % probability of false identification, Difference Index values less than 10-0 indicate relatedness and values greater than 26·8 indicate unrelatedness. A large proportion of protein pairs have Difference Index values in the region 10·0–26·8 and cannot therefore be reliably identified as related or unrelated by this criterion.     

Reproduction characteristics and crow’s index in different groups of yevpatoria population

According to the obstetric history of Yevpatoria residents of postreproductive age, the parameters of the differential fertility as components of the natural selection (index Crow) in Slavic (Russian and Ukrainian) and non-Slavic individuals have been calculated. It is shown that, in the studied population, in one generation, the index of total selection decreased from 0.3 to 0.32 by reducing the value I _m. For Slavic females, the average number of pregnancies is 5.26, while the number of offspring is 1.75, and the index of total selection equals 0.31. For non-Slavic women, these ratings were 4.84, 2.09, and 0.46. In non-Slavic women, natural reproductive losses occur more frequently than in Slavic women, which may be associated with inbreeding, the level of which is usually higher in members of the Muslim faith. The average number of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the non-Slavic families is 0.759, while for Slavic families, it is 0.503. Reproductive problems were observed in 36.4% of Slavic families and 44.8% of non-Slavic families. The index of total selection in non-Slavs (0.46) is 1.5 times higher than in Slavs (0.31). The difference is due to the selection component, coupled with differential fertility (0.36 and 0.23, respectively). Interethnic differences in the rate of natural increase can change the ethnic and denominational composition of the city, leading to an increase in the Muslim component.     

A proposal to improve the efficiency of index selection by “rounding”

Summary This paper describes a rounding procedure to improve the efficiency of index selection. The procedure involves performing canonical variate analysis on the phenotypic and genotypic variances of a group of traits estimated from a progeny test experiment. The eigenvectors corresponding to the significant eigenvalues are used to transform the original traits into a set of independent variables. The selection index is then constructed based on the new set of variables. The efficiency of the new index is expected to be improved by rounding off the variables associated with the insignificant eigenvalues.     

Is the bioavailability index applicable for trace elements in different types of soil?

Abstract

The bioavailability index (BI) is defined as the proportion of reduction in a plant’s accumulation of an element, caused by the removal of the extractable fraction of the element of interest from the soil. The BI and corresponding experimental methods were quantitatively applied to evaluate the bioavailability of trace elements in five Chinese soils. The soil was first extracted with various reagents (DTPA, HCl and NH₂OH.HCI) separately, to remove the extractable elements. The soil, after extraction, was washed with deionised water to eliminate the extractant used in the fractionation analysis. Then the pH of the soil was re-adjusted with CaO. The soil was then fertilised and incubated in a greenhouse for four weeks. Tests showed that after incubation the pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and organic matter (OM) of the treated soil were close to their original values. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was planted in both the untreated and treated soil for eight weeks. After harvest the plant concentrations of the elements Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Trace element accumulation by plants grown in the treated soil was reduced significantly compared with that of plants grown in the untreated soil. The results showed that BI values were in the order BI(DTPA)>BI(HCl)>BI(NH₂OH.HCl). This indicated that the DTPA-extractable fraction represented a highly available fraction of the total content. Variations of BI among different trace elements show that Cr, Mn, Zn and Co have a higher BI, in general for the elements tested, whereas, Cu, Cd and Pb have lower values. There are also slight differences in the BI among soils. However, no significant relationship could be found between the BI and the soil characteristics.     

Changes in dialysate concentrations of glutamate and GABA in the brain: an index of volume transmission mediated actions?

Brain microdialysis has become a frequently used method to study the extracellular concentrations of neurotransmitters in specific areas of the brain. For years, and this is still the case today, dialysate concentrations and hence extracellular concentrations of neurotransmitters have been interpreted as a direct index of the neuronal release of these specific neurotransmitter systems. Although this seems to be the case for neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and acetylcholine, the extracellular concentrations of glutamate and GABA do not provide a reliable index of their synaptic exocytotic release. However, many microdialysis studies show changes in extracellular concentrations of glutamate and GABA under specific pharmacological and behavioural stimuli that could be interpreted as a consequence of the activation of specific neurochemical circuits. Despite this, we still do not know the origin and physiological significance of these changes of glutamate and GABA in the extracellular space. Here we propose that the changes in dialysate concentrations of these two neurotransmitters found under specific treatments could be an expression of the activity of the neurone-astrocyte unit in specific circuits of the brain. It is further proposed that dialysate changes of glutamate and GABA could be used as an index of volume transmission mediated actions of these two neurotransmitters in the brain. This hypothesis is based firstly on the assumption that the activity of neurones is functionally linked to the activity of astrocytes, which can release glutamate and GABA to the extracellular space; secondly, on the existence of extrasynaptic glutamate and GABA receptors with functional properties different from those of GABA receptors located at the synapse; and thirdly, on the experimental evidence reporting specific electrophysiological and neurochemical effects of glutamate and GABA when their levels are increased in the extracellular space. According to this concept, glutamate and GABA, once released into the extracellular compartment, could diffuse and have long-lasting effects modulating glutamatergic and/or GABAergic neurone-astrocytic networks and their interactions with other neurotransmitter neurone networks in the same areas of the brain.     

Determination of the biological diatom index (IBD NF T 90–354): results of an intercomparison exercise

A diatom intercomparison exercise on sampling, slide preparation, countsand identification has been carried out in September 1999 with 24French-speaking diatomists on the River Loup (Alpes Maritimes, France). Fewoperators strictly respected the standard, especially for the number ofindividuals to be counted. It has however been demonstrated this had a very lowimpact on the index value and that old counts can be used for indexcalculation,if there are at least 300 frustules or valves. Counts higher than 400 did notlead to a better precision. The total variability largely depended on theoperator and was distributed unevenly between sampling, which appears to be acritical stage, slide preparation and counting. For those who strictlyrespectedthe standard procedure, the natural variability can be estimated to about oneunit value of the Biological Diatom Index. This intra-operator variability canbe considered as very low, as the IBD scale is from 0 to 20, and notsignificantin assessing water quality. Despite this, the inter-operator variability isgreater. When comparing operators' results, after excluding those who did notrespect the standard requirements, the main source of variability is due tomisidentifications, especially for small Achnanthes(A. minutissima and A. biasolettiana)and Cocconeis (C. placentula var.placentula, var. euglypta and var.lineata). Intercomparison exercises, internet exchangesforchecking and reference material collections should be encouraged both tosatisfythe internal and external quality controls and to acquaint biologists with theimportance of field and laboratory protocols, as well as to allow progress indiatom identification.     

Circulating levels of irisin in patients with anorexia nervosa and different stages of obesity – Correlation with body mass index

Irisin was recently identified as cleavage product of fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5) and shown to increase energy expenditure in mice and humans and therefore was discussed as potential treatment option in obesity. However, the regulation of irisin under conditions of severely altered body weight such as anorexia nervosa and obesity remains to be investigated. We analyzed circulating irisin levels over a broad spectrum of body weight in 40 patients with anorexia nervosa (mean body mass index, BMI 12.6 ± 0.7 kg/m²), normal weight controls (22.6 ± 0.9 kg/m²) and obese patients with BMI of 30–40 (36.9 ± 1.2 kg/m²), 40–50 (44.9 ± 1.1 kg/m²) and >50 (70.1 ± 2.7 kg/m², n = 8/group). Correlation analyses were performed between irisin and different body indices, parameters of body composition and hormones involved in various homeostatic processes. Obese patients showed higher circulating irisin levels compared to normal weight and anorexic patients (p < 0.05) resulting in a correlation of irisin with body weight (r = 0.47, p < 0.01) and BMI (r = 0.50, p < 0.001). Plasma irisin was also positively correlated with fat mass (r = 0.48, p < 0.01), body cell mass (r = 0.45, p < 0.01) and fat free mass (r = 0.40, p < 0.05). Insulin levels were positively correlated with irisin (r = 0.45, p < 0.01), whereas circulating ghrelin, cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone or C-reactive protein were not (p > 0.05). These data indicate that circulating irisin is affected under conditions of altered BMI with highest levels in severely obese patients. The increase of irisin under conditions of obesity may indicate a physiological function to improve glucose tolerance which is often impaired in obese subjects.     

The physiological equivalent temperature – a universal index for the biometeorological assessment of the thermal environment

With considerably increased coverage of weather information in the news media in recent years in many countries, there is also more demand for data that are applicable and useful for everyday life. Both the perception of the thermal component of weather as well as the appropriate clothing for thermal comfort result from the integral effects of all meteorological parameters relevant for heat exchange between the body and its environment. Regulatory physiological processes can affect the relative importance of meteorological parameters, e.g. wind velocity becomes more important when the body is sweating. In order to take into account all these factors, it is necessary to use a heat-balance model of the human body. The physiological equivalent temperature (PET) is based on the Munich Energy-balance Model for Individuals (MEMI), which models the thermal conditions of the human body in a physiologically relevant way. PET is defined as the air temperature at which, in a typical indoor setting (without wind and solar radiation), the heat budget of the human body is balanced with the same core and skin temperature as under the complex outdoor conditions to be assessed. This way PET enables a layperson to compare the integral effects of complex thermal conditions outside with his or her own experience indoors. On hot summer days, for example, with direct solar irradiation the PET value may be more than 20 K higher than the air temperature, on a windy day in winter up to 15 K lower. Received: 14 December 1998 / Accepted: 26 May 1999