Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in patients with liver cirrhosis

Aim of the study was to evaluate serum levels of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in patients with liver cirrhosis and to compare serum IGFBP-3 levels with other liver function tests. Fifty-one patients with liver cirrhosis were selected for our study. We measured IGFBP-3 (1.67+/-1.06 mg/l, mean+/-SD), albumin (32+/-8 g/l), prealbumin (0.22+/-0.14 g/l), AST (2.29+/-2.38 microkat/l), ALT (2.11+/-4.83 microkat/l) and cholinesterase (mean 78.6+/-45.2 microkat/l) in the serum. There was a significant positive correlation of serum IGFBP-3 with serum albumin and serum cholinesterase. The correlation coefficient was much lower between serum IGFBP-3 and serum prealbumin. There was no significant correlation between serum AST, ALT and IGFBP-3. Serum IGFBP-3 proves to be a better marker for the hepatic synthetic capacity than serum albumin or cholinesterase.     

Radioimmunoassay of testosterone in late fetal and newborn rabbit plasma, gonads and adrenal glands]

A radioimmunoassay was used for measuring testosterone in the plasma, gonads and adrenals of 28, 29, 30 and 31-day-old rabbit fetuses of both sexes and newborns. A marked sex difference was shown in the concentrations of testosterone in plasma and in gonads whereas in adrenals the levels of testosterone were low in both sexes (34 to 147 pg/10 mg). In male fetuses, plasma testosterone levels increased from the 28th (133 +/- 20 pg/ml) to the 31st day (361 +/- 119 pg/ml) of intrauterine life, reaching then the values observed in the newborns (387 +/- 73 pg/ml). Plasma from males, on the other hand contained, at all stages studied, significantly more testosterone than plasma from female fetuses (21 +/- 6 to 41 +/- 11 pg/ml) and female newborns (42 +/- 6 pg/ml). In the same way, fetal testicular testosterone concentrations varying from 1 382 +/- 218 to 2 317 +/- 333 pg/10 mg were similar to those measured in the newborns (1 940 +/- 304 pg/10 mg) and significantly higher than fetal (13 to 34 pg/10 mg) or neonatal (44 pg/10 mg) ovarian concentrations. These results showed at evidence the endocrine activity of the fetal testis during this period.     

Cancare-a herbal formulation inhibits chemically induced tumours in experimental animals

Cancer chemopreventive potential of Cancare, a multi-herbal formulation on chemically induced tumours was studied by N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and 20-methylcholanthrene (20-MC) induced sarcoma development in mice. Oral administration of Cancare was found to inhibit the liver tumour development induced by N-nitrosodiethylamine. Animals administered with NDEA had visible liver tumours by the end of 30th weeks and the liver weight was raised to 6.1 +/- 1.4 g/ 100 g body wt. None of the animals treated with Cancare (150 mg/ kg) developed any visible liver tumours by this period and the liver weight was 3.0 +/- 0.6 g/ 100 g body wt. Gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase, a marker of hepatocellularcarcinoma, which was raised to 83.7 +/- 8. 9 U/l in serum of NDEA treated group was reduced to 35.2 +/- 6.1 U/l by simultaneous administration of Cancare. Elevated levels of serum alkaline phosphatase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, bilirubin, liver glutathione S-transferase, glutathione and gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase in the NDEA administered group was significantly reduced by Cancare administration. Cancare administration inhibited the sarcoma development and increased the life span of mice administered with 20-MC dose dependently. All animals in the control group developed sarcomas by 150th day and dead by 174th day after 20-MC administration. Cancare administration (30 mg and 150 mg/kg) inhibited the sarcoma development (46.7 and 60%) as well as increased the life span (53.3 and 66.7%) as estimated on 240th day after 20-MC administration. The results are indicative of the chemopreventive potential of Cancare against chemically induced neoplasmas.     

The effect of vitamin E administration to pregnant women, on the concentration of linoleic acid in adipose tissue of the newborns

The composition of various lipids were measured in ten healthy newborns of mothers who were treated with 100 mg vitamin E per day, starting in the 35th week of pregnancy. The maternal serum vitamin E levels following the treatment (1.10 +/- 0.49 mg/dl) showed no increase as compared to the pretreatment values (1.06 +/- 0.38 mg/dl). There was no significant difference in serum vitamin E levels in those newborns whose mothers were treated--(0.19 +/- 0.12 mg/dl) as compared to 10 newborns whose mothers were not treated with vitamin E (0.13 +/- 0.07 mg/dl). However, there was a striking increase in the relative concentration of linoleic acid in the adipose tissue to those newborns whose mothers were treated (9.4%--versus--4.1%).     

Complement activation by in vivo neonatal and in vitro extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Complment activation during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in newborns can be caused by both the underlying disease processes and by blood contact with the ECMO circuit. We investigated the relative importance of these mechanisms by measuring C3a, C5a and sC5b-9 before, during and after neonatal ECMO in six consecutive newborn patients using enzyme-linked immunoassay. In addition complement activation during in vitro ECMO with repeated flow of the same blood volume was measured using blood from healthy adult donors. C3a increased significantly in vivo after 1 h (from 1035+/-193 to 1865+/-419 microg/l) and in vitro ECMO (from 314+/-75 to 1962+/-1062 microg/l). C5a increased during ECMO without significant differences between in vivo and in vitro activation. In neonatal patients, sC5b-9 rose faster than in vitro, but the rapid increase was also significant for in vitro experiments (in vivo: from 328+/-63 to 1623+/-387 microg/l after 2 h; and in vitro: from 78+/-32 to 453+/-179 microg/l after 8 h). After this initial peak at 1-2 h, complement activation decreased gradually until 2-3 days after the initiation of ECMO. We conclude that in newborns the rapid activation of the complement system after the start of ECMO is predominantly caused by contact with artificial surfaces rather than the patient's underlying disease.     

Neonatal adaptive phenomenon: secretion of beta-lipotropin, and beta-endorphin in the first week of life

beta Lipotrophin and beta Endorphin plasma levels have been measured in 35 newborns subdivided in 5 groups of 12, 24, 48, 72 and 168 hours of life, 10 umbilical mixed blood samples were also evaluated. After plasma extraction (3 ml) and G-75 Sephadex column chromatography, the peptides were measured by two specific RIAs. beta LPH and beta EP levels were high in umbilical cord plasma (241.0 +/- 43.3 and 70.0 +/- 8.5 pg/ml respectively). A progressive decrement was then observed until the 72th hour of life (28.1 +/- 13.2 and 8.7 +/- 4.8 pg/ml respectively) but the elevated levels found at 24th hour demonstrate an active synthesis and release from fetal and neonatal pituitary. After a slight and transient decreased activity during the first week of life, the statistically significant increase of both beta LPH and beta EP observed at seven day indicate that at this moment pituitary function is restored.     

Positive effects of cryopreserved adult or fetal liver cell transplants on hypercholesterolemia and hepatic antioxidant defenses in cholesterol-fed rabbits

The liver plays a central role in lipid metabolism and the pathophysiology of many lipid disorders leads in turn to liver cell injury. Adult hepatocyte transplants provide well-recognized metabolic support, whilst hepatic stem cells may promote liver regeneration and repair, but in both cases, any clinical application would require low temperature banking of the cells. A model of dietary hypercholesterolemia was established in rabbits over 5 months, and transplants of cryopreserved adult hepatocytes (CH) and cryopreserved fetal liver cells (CFLC) were compared to Sham transplants. Cryopreservation was performed by a two-step freezing protocol using 1.5mol/l dimethyl sulfoxide (Me(2)SO). Serum contents of cholesterol lipid classes were measured during the subsequent 4 weeks, in addition to markers of serum and liver oxidative stress. Both CH and CFLC transplantation resulted in a decrease of serum lipids during the 1st week after transplantation. The effect of CH was limited to the 1st week, but CFLC provided a sustained lipid-lowering effect over the 4 weeks. The ultimate outcome of CFLC transplantation by the end of 4 weeks was more pronounced and statistically significant for both serum total cholesterol (0.15+/-0.05 versus 3.65+/-1.4mmol/l) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (0.04+/-0.01 versus 0.56+/-0.06mmol/l) compared to Sham transplants (p<0.05 in both cases). CFLC transplantation also normalized hepatic tissue antioxidant defenses, namely an increase in reduced glutathione content, and enzyme activities for catalase and glutathione reductase (all significantly higher at p<0.05 than in Sham transplants) by 4 weeks.     

Direct and prolonged effect of thyroliberin in ultra small doses on contractility of the white rat mesentery lymphatic vessels

The prolonged effect of thyroliberin in ULD after single intramuscular injection on contractility of lymphatic vessels directly was investigated. The controlled group of animals received injection of 0.2 ml of physiological solution. The experimental group was injected by 0.2 ml of thyroliberin in concentrations of 10(-10) or 10(-16) mol/l (1 x 10(-4) and 1 x 10(-10) micrograms/kg of the body weight respectively). During the experiment the animals were grouped in the following way: 1) directly after the injection; 2) 3 hours later; 3) on the 1st day and then every day during 2 weeks. Lymphatic vessels reactivity of the experimental animals as well as controlled was studied by application of thyroliberin and noradrenalin (in concentrations of 1 x 10(-16) and 1 x 10(-6) mol/l respectively) directly on mesentery lymphatic vessels. The lymphatic vessels reaction in control group of animals on the noradrenalin and thyroliberin was the same during the period of observation. Thyroliberin stimulated contractility at concentration of 1 x 10(-16) mol/l. The reaction of experimental group was dramatically decreased to 10(-4) mol/l on the 1st and the 3rd day (in the case i.m. injected concentration 1 x 10(-10) mol/l) and to 10(-10) mol/l (in the case of i.m. injected concentration 10(-16) mol/l). The lymphatic vessels reactivity to exogenous thyroliberin gradually established at the 6-7th days till 12th day from the moment of thyroliberin injection. The mechanisms of the action of thyroliberin in ULD are discussed.     

住院8天过敏性紫癜患儿肠道菌群的变化研究

目的研究住院1～8d过敏性紫癜患儿肠道菌群的变化。方法（1）提取43例过敏性紫癜患儿（观察组）住院1～8d和43例健康儿童（对照组）粪便标本的细菌DNA,测量并比较对照组和观察组标本细菌的DNA-A240值;（2）采用16SrRNA／DNA荧光定量PCR技术进行对照组和观察组粪便标本中双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌和大肠埃希菌的定量分析和比较。结果（1）粪便标本中细菌的DNA-A240值分别为：对照组d0（3605．9±1096．9）ng／μl,观察组治疗前1天d1（2225．9±616．1）ng／μl,治疗第3～4天d2（1780．3±547．4）ng／μl,治疗第7～8天d3（2055．6±570．2）ng／μl;对照组和观察组治疗前以及观察组治疗不同时期相比,d0与d1差异有显著性（P〈0．05）,d1与d2差异有显著性（P〈0．05）,d1与d3差异有显著性（P〈0．05）,d2与d3差异无显著性（P〉0．05）;（2）粪便标本中3种细菌量的对数值比较差异均有显著性（P〈0．05）。观察组双歧杆菌和乳酸杆菌数量在治疗第3—4天较低,第7—8天有所回升;大肠埃希菌的对数值亦有减少,治疗第3—4天较低,但第7～8天没有明显回升。结论（1）过敏性紫癜患儿肠道菌群总DNA-A260量和健康儿童相比有减少;（2）过敏性紫癜患儿肠道双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌和大肠埃希菌量与正常儿童相比有下降,治疗的第7天有回升的趋势。过敏性紫癜患儿肠道益生菌数量减少可能影响其发病和转归。     

Differing physiological effects of epinephrine in type 1 diabetes and nondiabetic humans

Acute increases of the key counterregulatory hormone epinephrine can be modified by a number of physiological and pathological conditions in type 1 diabetic patients (T1DM). However, it is undecided whether the physiological effects of epinephrine are also reduced in T1DM. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether target organ (liver, muscle, adipose tissue, pancreas, cardiovascular) responses to epinephrine differ between healthy subjects and T1DM patients. Thirty-four age- and weight-matched T1DM (n = 17) and healthy subjects (n = 17) underwent two randomized, single-blind, 2-h hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies with (Epi) and without epinephrine infusion. Muscle biopsy was performed at the end of each study. Epinephrine levels during Epi were similar in all groups (4,039 +/- 384 pmol/l). Glucose (5.3 +/- 0.06 mmol/l) and insulin levels (462 +/- 18 pmol/l) were also similar in all groups during the glucose clamps. Glucagon responses to Epi were absent in T1DM and significantly reduced compared with healthy subjects. Endogenous glucose production during the final 30 min was significantly greater during Epi in healthy subjects compared with T1DM (8.4 +/- 1.3 vs. 4.4 +/- 0.6 micromol.kg(-1).min(-1), P = 0.041). Glucose uptake showed almost a twofold greater decrease with Epi in healthy subjects vs. T1DM (Delta31 +/- 2 vs. Delta17 +/- 2 nmol.kg(-1).min(-1), respectively, P = 0.026). Glycerol, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) all increased significantly more in T1DM compared with healthy subjects. Increases in systolic blood pressure were greater in healthy subjects, but reductions of diastolic blood pressure were greater in T1DM patients with Epi. Reduction of glycogen synthase was significantly greater during epinephrine infusion in T1DM vs. healthy subjects. In summary, despite equivalent epinephrine, insulin, and glucose levels, changes in glucose flux, glucagon, and cardiovascular responses were greater in healthy subjects compared with T1DM. However, T1DM patients had greater lipolytic responses (glycerol and NEFA) during Epi. Thus we conclude that there is a spectrum of significant in vivo physiological differences of epinephrine action at the liver, muscle, adipose tissue, pancreas, and cardiovascular system between T1DM and healthy subjects.     

Appetite and blood glucose profiles in humans after glycogen-depleting exercise.

Regulatory functions of glycogen stores and blood glucose on human appetite, particularly relating to exercise, are not fully understood. Ten men (age 20-31 yr) performed glycogen-depleting exercise in an evening, ate a low-carbohydrate dinner, and stayed overnight in the laboratory. The next day, blood glucose was monitored continuously for 517 +/- 23 (SE) min. Subjects had access to high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods after baseline glucose and respiratory quotient were determined. In the afternoon, 1 h of moderate exercise was performed. Baseline respiratory quotient was 0. 748 +/- 0.008, plasma free fatty acids were 677 +/- 123 micromol/l, insulin was 4.8 +/- 0.5 microU/ml, and leptin was 1.9 +/- 0.3 ng/ml. Postabsorptively, 8 of 10 meals were initiated during stability in blood glucose. Postprandially, the association between meal initiation and blood glucose declines became significant (chi(2) = 7. 82). During moderate exercise, blood glucose initially decreased but recovered before completion. When the glycogen buffer is depleted, meal initiation can occur during blood glucose stability; the relationship between blood glucose declines and meal initiation reestablishes with refeeding.     

Dynamics of exogenous kallikrein-stimulated bovine sperm motility in the presence of seminal plasma kallikrein

Sperm motility is known to be activated and maintained by kallikrein contained within the seminal plasma. We studied the relationship between the levels of seminal plasma kallikrein activity and in vitro exogenous kallikrein-induced sperm motility enhancement. Semen samples were collected from Holstein-Friesian bulls and grouped on the basis of the initial total sperm motility into Group I with > 60 % (mean 75.3 +/- 1.8 %, n = 25), and Group II with < 60 % (mean 51.2 +/- 1.7%, n = 25). Seminal plasma kallikrein activity was measured with the aid of the specific chromogenic substrate S-2266. In Group I the mean activity was 0.983 +/- 0.042 microkat/L, and in Group II it was 0.805 +/- 0.063 microkat/L (P < 0.05). Then each semen sample was divided into a control and an experimental subgroup treated with 16.7 microkat/L of hog pancreatic kallikrein. Total sperm motility was monitored at 1-h intervals. It was found that the addition of exogenous kallikrein stimulated the sperm motility in both groups but in the 4th h after treatment the difference in sperm motility between the experimental and control subgroups of Group I was 12.4 % whereas in Group II it was 21.7 %. We concluded that adding exogenous kallikrein in vitro to semen samples with lower kallikrein activity in the seminal plasma enhanced total sperm motility more than adding it to ejaculates with higher levels of endogenous kallikrein activity.     

Alterations of the volume and surface of liver cells of male rats during postnatal development

To characterize the postnatal development of hepatocytes of male rats quantitative, morphometrical investigations of male rat livers were carried out at the following times: day of birth, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day as well as 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th month. Several methods were used to determine the cell volumes and surfaces as a whole, the nucleus, and the sinusoidal (supranuclear), lateral, and bile cancliculi-near cellular zone, as well as the sinusoidal, lateral, and bile canaliculi-near plasma membrane. The cellular volume increases from the day of birth (5,775.9 +/- 545.5 micrometer 3) till the 6th month to 11,494.2 +/- 1,241.6 micrometer 3. At the same time, the liver cell surface increases from 1,900 micrometer 2 to 3,191.7 micrometer 2. The number of microvilli of the sinusoidal plasma membrane increases from 1,074.4 to 2,170.0, and of the plasma membrane limiting the bile canaliculi their number changes from 248.9 to 340.2. The values of the liver volumes and surfaces of adult animals differ from those in the literature, as they are based on mononuclear cells only (i.e., the about 30% binuclear cells are not taken into account) and a smooth surface without considering the existence of microvilli. The nuclear volumes increase from 412.7 +/- 28.2 micrometer 3 (birth) to 549.5 +/- 440 micrometer 3, whereas the relative percentage decreases from 7.14% to 4.78%, which corresponds with the findings of other authors. The proportion of the 3 zones of the cytoplasm changes in the following way : day 0 (birth) : sinusoidal zone: 2,224 micrometer 3 = 36.8%; lateral zone: 1,473 micrometer 3 = 25.9%; bile canaliculi-near zone: 1,017 micrometer 3 = 17.7%; end of 6th month : sinusoidal zone: 4,000 micrometer 3 = 34.8%; lateral zone: 4,724 micrometer 3 = 40.0%; bile cancliculi-near zone: 1,345 micrometer 3 = 12.1%. Taking into account other findings our investigations suggest that the postnatal development of the male rat liver can be definitely characterized by determining the parameters at the following dates: day of birth, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 14th, and 28th day, 3rd and 6th month.     

Content of N-acetyl-L-asparate, N-acetyl-L-glutamate and N-acetyl-L-aspartyl-L-glutamate in the brain of mammals at increased oxygen tension

The contents of N-acetyl-l-asparate and N-acetyl-l-glutamate, N-acetyl-l-aspartyl-l-glutamate were studied in the brain of rats of six age groups: newborns and on the 1st, 7th, 14th, and 30th day after birth. The amount of N-acetyl-l-asparate, N-acetyl-l-glutamate and peptide in the rat brain for 30 days of the postanal life is 8, 3.5 and 14.3 times as high, respectively. Under hyperoxic the amount of peptide, N-acetyl-l-asparate and N-acetyl-l-glutamate in the brain of rats of all the examined groups decreases especially in 14-, 21- and 30-day animals.     

Effect of vitamin E on serum aminotransferase and thioredoxin levels in patients with viral hepatitis C

OBJECTIVES: Oxidative stress induces cellular responses such as cell death, gene activation and cell proliferation, in the liver. Vitamin E (Vit. E) has been found to protect the liver against oxidative stress in animal experiments. Thioredoxin (TRX) is a stress inducible, multifunctional protein, secreted during oxidative stress. This study evaluated effects of Vit. E on serum TRX and aminotransferase levels in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, partly non-responsive to initial interferon (IFN), with higher than average level of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) after receiving anti-inflammatory drug treatment. METHODS: Seventeen HCV patients (male = 3; female = 14) of age 62 +/- 7.65 years receiving anti-inflammatory drug therapy, at least 6 months prior to Vit. E administration, were given d-alpha-tocopherol 500 mg/day, orally, for a period of 3 months. ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), TRX and Vit. E were measured at 0, 1, 2 and 3 months and 1 month after end of treatment. As controls, the same patients biochemical data, 3 months from the start of therapy were used. Patients were divided into three categories: total patients "T", low ALT group "L" (ALT < 70 IU/l) and high ALT group "H" (ALT > 70 IU/l), respectively. RESULTS: The ALT level was lowered, significantly in group H, in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 1-month post therapy, compared to the initial value. But group L showed little or no change in ALT. Post Vit. E therapy, in groups T and H, the TRX level was elevated but remained below initial levels, whereas in group L, TRX level remained significantly lower than the pretreatment value. Groups T and L, showed significant reduction (p < 0.05) in serum TRX levels in the 2nd and 3rd month. Group H showed a tendency towards TRX reduction, but not significantly. Serum Vit. E levels increased significantly (p < 0.0001) from the 1st to 3rd month in all three T, H and L groups. CONCLUSION: Oxidative stress induced liver damage is reduced by Vit. E in patients with viral hepatitis C, particularly those with initial ALT levels > 70 IU/l. Vit. E treatment causes reduction of oxidative stress markers as TRX and ALT in sera. Therefore, Vit. E can act as a supportive therapy to combat liver damage caused by oxidative stress, in such patients with continuously high levels of ALT even after anti-viral and anti-inflammatory drug therapy.     

Long-term intake of egg white hydrolysate attenuates the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats

This paper evaluates the effect of the long-term intake of a hydrolysate of egg white with pepsin (HEW), with a potent angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity, on the development of hypertension of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). After being weaned, male 3-week-old SHR were randomly divided into five groups that were given until the 20th week of life the following drinking fluids: (1) tap water, (2) non-treated egg white 1 g/kg/day, (3) captopril 100 mg/kg/day, (4) HEW 0.5 g/kg/day, and (5) HEW 1 g/kg/day. From the 20th to 25th week of life, animals from all groups were given tap water. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured weekly in the rats, from the 6th to 25th week of life, by the tail cuff method. Development of hypertension was attenuated in the groups treated with captopril and HEW (P<0.001 vs. the group that drunk tap water). At the 20th week of life, the arterial blood pressure values of the different groups of rats were: tap water (SBP = 219.5 +/- 5.7, DBP = 167 +/- 3.7), non-treated egg white (SBP = 206.4 +/- 1.43, DBP = 166.4 +/- 4.9), captopril (SBP = 131.7 +/- 2.74, DBP = 91.5 +/- 1.62), HEW 0.5 g/kg/day (SBP = 182.9 +/- 4.64, DBP = 127.5 +/- 2.1) and HEW 1 g/kg/day (SBP = 177.7 +/- 4.72, DBP = 120.1 +/- 2.4). SBP and DBP increased in the treated SHR when the corresponding antihypertensive treatment was removed. In spite of this, SBP remained lower in the SHR that had received captopril and HEW than in the SHR of the control groups (P<0.05). The present results suggest that HEW could be used as a functional food with antihypertensive activity.     

Comparison of total and salivary cortisol in a low-dose ACTH (Synacthen) test: influence of three-month oral contraceptives administration to healthy women

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of low-dose combined oral contraception (COC) on basal and stimulated (1 microg ACTH test) levels of serum and salivary cortisol (F), cortisone and on basal serum cortisol binding globulin (CBG), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), dehydroepiadrosterone (DHEA) and calculated free cortisol in healthy young women. Three-month administration of COC resulted in 1) significant increase of basal (454.0+/-125.0 to 860.9+/-179.7 nmol/l) and ACTH-stimulated serum cortisol in 30th min (652.3+/-60.5 to 1374.1+/-240.6 nmol/l); 2) no significant change of basal (15.4+/-7.3 to 18.9+/-8.5 nmol/l) and ACTH-stimulated salivary cortisol at the 30th min (32.4+/-8.8 to 32.9+/-9.0 nmol/l); 3) no significant change of basal serum cortisone (38,8+/-7.68 to 45.2+/-24.2 nmol/l) and ACTH-stimulated cortisone at the 30th (34.8+/-10.9 to 47.0+/-35.7 nmol/l); 4) significant increase of basal ACTH (17.2+/-9.0 to 38.2+/-29.4 ng/l), CBG (991.0+/-161.0 to 2332.0+/-428.0 nmol/l), and 5) no significant change of basal DHEA (24.6+/-15.7 to 22.6+/-11.7 micromol/l) and calculated basal value for free cortisol (22.8+/-14.9 to 19.2+/-6.9 nmol/l). In conclusions, higher basal and ACTH-stimulated serum cortisol were found after three-month administration of COC, while basal and stimulated salivary cortisol were not significantly affected. Therefore, salivary cortisol can be used for assessment of adrenal function in women regularly using COC.     

Plasma gastrin and somatostatin levels in infants during the first four postnatal days

This study was designed to measure plasma gastrin and somatostatin levels in infants and to simultaneously investigate the infants' metabolic status as reflected by the body weight as well as by the blood levels of FFA, D-beta-hydroxybutyrate and glucose. Healthy infants (n = 94) who were born at term were studied cross-sectionally during their first four days of life. We found that the gastrin concentration (mean +/- SD) on the first day of life was 118 +/- 37 pmol/l. Subsequently the concentration decreased and reached its lowest value on the third day; 94 +/- 27 pmol/l (P less than 0.05). On the fourth day the mean concentration increased to the same level as on the first day. There was a significant (P less than 0.01) increase in somatostatin concentrations from 18 +/- 6 pmol/l on the first day to 26 +/- 7 pmol/l on the fourth day and the concentrations were highly related (P less than 0.0001) to postnatal age. We conclude that the decrease in gastrin concentration is probably related to the low volume of breast milk ingested during the first days after delivery, and therefore to the low secretory activity of the gastrin-producing cells. The infants' catabolic condition during that time was evidenced by the reduction in body weight, the decrease in plasma glucose level and the increase in FFA and D-beta-hydroxybutyrate levels. The gastrin increase found on the fourth day reflects most likely, the change in breast milk availability which occurs with the establishment of lactation. The mechanisms controlling the release of somatostatin remains to be established.     

Plasma and urinary endothelin-1 concentrations in asphyxiated newborns [corrected

The aim of this study was to determine if there is any correlation between the hypoxia induced deterioration of renal functions and urinary excretions of endothelin (ET). Therefore using a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay, we have investigated plasma ET-1 concentrations and urine ET-1 excretions in healthy and asphyxiated newborns. Sixteen newborns (10 boys, 6 girls) with perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia of variable seriousness which were followed at Newborn Intensive Care Unit in Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine were enrolled. Simultaneously, gestation and weight matched 10 newborns (6 boys, 4 girls) with no asphyxia (first minute Apgar score >7) were enrolled as controls. Plasma ET-1 concentrations of the asphyxiated infants (61.8+/-79.3 pg/ml, between 23.4-125.2 pg/ml) were higher than in the control group (29.3+/-22.1 pg/ml, between 12.3 and 50.8 pg/ml, p<0.05). However creatinine clearance values were not different between the two groups (p>0.05), mean fractional excretion of sodium levels (FeNa%) were higher in the study group than the controls (p<0.01). Urinary ET-1 concentrations in the asphyxiated infants were 144.6+/-63.4 pg/ml versus 70.1+/-27.7 pg/ml in the control group (p<0.001). The ET clearance were more elevated in the asphyxiated newborns than in the healthy infants (p<0.05). Urinary ET-1/Cr ratio in the hypoxic infants were significantly elevated in the first day of life when compared with those of healthy infants (p<0.05). Total ET excretion was negatively correlated with FeNa (%) (r=-0.603, p<0.05). Plasma ET-1 concentrations of the asphyxiated infants reduced at 48 hours of age (p<0.001). Fifth minute Apgar score was negatively correlated with urinary ET-1 levels (r=-0.615, p<0.01), urinary Na excretion (r=-0.583, p<0.01), FeNa (%) (r=-0.597, p<0.01) and total ET excretion (r=-0.560, p<0.01) and positively correlated with ET clearance (r=0.559, p<0.05). Urinary ET-1 levels were negatively correlated with umbilical artery BE levels (r=-0.612, p<0.05). To our study, elevated urinary ET-1 levels were observed during perinatal asphyxia and urinary ET-1 levels were negatively correlated with 5th minute Apgar score and cord blood base excess levels. For this reason urinary ET-1 levels could be a marker of perinatal asphyxia as cord blood ET-1 levels. With investigations showing renal production is independent from plasma and increased urinary ET-1/Cr levels in newborn with perinatal asphyxia and also negative correlation between the total ET excretion and FeNa, urinary ET-1 levels could be served as a useful marker to detecting also impaired renal functions in infants with perinatal asphyxia.     

Plasma beta-endorphin during fasting in man

To identify the effects of acute starvation on endogenous opioids in man, plasma beta-endorphin (beta-EP) was measured in 17 patients before, during and after fasting. Patients were assigned a posteriori into two groups: group A, comprised of 11 patients able to tolerate 5-7 days of fasting, and group B, comprised of 6 patients able to tolerate 10 days of fasting. Changes in plasma beta-EP, serum cortisol, circulating nutritional markers, and their relative levels were assessed on the 5th and 10th days of fasting, and on the 5th and 10th days of the refeeding period. Beta-EP had increased by the 5th day (group A: 4.74 +/- 0.42 to 6.91 +/- 0.65 pmol/l, p less than 0.01; group B: 3.60 +/- 0.48 to 5.14 +/- 0.22 pmol/l, p less than 0.05, and remained at 5.05 +/- 0.65 pmol/l on the 10th day (group B: 0.05 less than p less than 0.1) during fasting. Group B had lower levels of plasma beta-EP on the 5th day of fasting than group A (p less than 0.05). However, serum cortisol levels changed similarly in both groups. Plasma beta-EP showed no significant correlation with either the percentage of body weight lost or the body mass index (kg/m2) over this study period. These findings indicate that plasma beta-EP is elevated in the early phase of fasting, while not directly being associated with body weight changes. Plasma beta-EP is lower and less activated in subjects who are able to tolerate fasting for longer periods.