Relations between sex hormone level and characters of hair and skin in healthy young men.

Total testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in blood serum as well as free testosterone in saliva were determined by radioimmunoassay in 110 healthy young men. The results were compared with the development of terminal hair on the trunk and limbs, with the disposition to balding and with the disposition to acne. No significant correlations were found between terminal hair development and absolute androgen levels; however, some significant values were observed in the case of the metabolic rate of dihydrotestosterone/testosterone and the proportion of free to total testosterone. The disposition to balding also correlates positively with the latter ratio. Yet the absolute serum androgen concentrations in men with a disposition to balding is lower than in men with no reduction of scalp hair. The widespread assumption that androgen levels are in general elevated in bald-trait men must therefore be rejected. In accordance with this finding, men with a disposition to balding are morphologically (with regard to anthropometric measures) no more masculine than those with good scalp hair growth. When body build and age are taken into consideration, the relations between terminal hair and androgen ratio are also problematical. No relationship could be found between acne and androgens.     

Biological age and tempos of aging in women over 60 in connection with their morphofunctional characteristics

Background

The study of aging processes and the changes in morphological, physiological, and functional characteristics that are associated with aging is of great interest not only for researchers, but also for the general public. The aim of the present paper is to study the biological age and tempos of aging in women older than 60 years, including long-lived females (over 90-years-old), and their associations with morphofunctional characteristics.

Results

Somatic traits, body mass components, and functional characteristics were investigated in 119 elderly (between 60 and 74-years-old) and long-lived (over 90-years-old) women in Tiraspol. With the special PC software ‘Diagnostics of Aging: BioAge’ (National Gerontological Center, Moscow, Russia) the biological age and tempos of aging were evaluated in the study participants. The results show close connections between morphofunctional changes, particularly in body mass components, and biological age. The software demonstrated its validity in the estimation of biological age in the group of elderly women. In the homogenous (according to their chronological age) group of women, three subgroups were separated with different tempos of aging: those with lower rates of aging (biological age less than chronological age by two years or more); those consistent with their chronological age, and those with accelerated tempos of aging (biological age higher than chronological age by two years or more).

Conclusions

Morphofunctional characteristics in the studied groups of women demonstrate the trends of age-involutive changes which can be traced through all groups, from those with slow rates of aging, to those with average rates, to those with accelerated tempos of aging, and finally in long-lived women. The results of comparative analysis show that women with accelerated aging are characterized with such traits as lower skeletal muscle mass, lower hand grip strength, and higher metabolic rate. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed a number of morphofunctional characteristics which differentiate the early-aging women from women with average rates of aging: higher BMI values, excessive fat mass, lower skeletal muscle mass and low values of hand grip strength. Thus the presence of such characteristics in elderly women can be considered as additional risk factor towards the early onset of the aging process.     

Orchiectomized Fischer 344 male rat models body composition in hypogonadal state

The hypogonadal state in men is accompanied by substantial decreases in muscle and bone mass and by an increase in adiposity. Most of the strains of orchiectomized (ORX) rat that have been used to model this state display substantial losses in bone, but only subtle changes in adiposity and muscle mass. In order to identify a rat model displaying a robust catabolic response to ORX, we studied three strains: Fischer 344 (F344), Brown Norway and Wistar. ORX caused a significant and sustained decrease in weight gained by F344, but only a trend toward reduced weight gain in Brown Norway rats and a modest reduction weight gain in Wistar rats that was significant only after 56days. ORX suppressed food intake in F344 rats, and to a lesser degree in Brown Norway and Wistar rats. ORX reduced muscle mass significantly in F344 rats, but not in Brown Norway or Wistar rats. ORX increased adiposity moderately in F344 rats and substantially in Wistar rats. ORX caused a marked reduction in prostate mass and increase in bone resorption in all three strains. Thus, F344 was the only strain in which ORX produced substantial decreases in food intake, body weight and muscle mass with increased adiposity and increased bone resorption. We conclude that the F344 rat displays a broad range of catabolic effects following ORX and is the best rat model for studying the androgenic pathway and strategies for reversing catabolic changes induced by hypogonadism.     

23个实验小鼠和大鼠近交系的保种研究

从1985年开始,陆续从国外实验动物著名机构引进常用近交系小鼠共23个品系(亚系和亚群)。在多年来保种繁殖过程中,根据修饰平行线系统选择留种动物,同时对动物进行全兄妹近亲交配繁殖,保持完整的谱系记录,控制饲养环境条件,成功地保持了绝大多数品系。同时对多数品系的繁殖性能和体重增长进行了观察,为这些品系的实验应用提供基本参数。     

Synthesis of factor II antigen by isolated perfused rat liver

Rat Factor II (prothrombin), isolated and purified by chromatography on Blue Dextran-agarose, was used to raise an antiserum in rabbits. On the basis of single radial immunodiffusion measurements. Factor II synthesis by isolated perfused rat liver amounted to 0.54 mg/300 cm² body surface area of the liver donor in 10 h. Corresponding measurements of Factor II coagulant activity revealed cumulative synthesis of 802 Iowa units. Coumadin added to the liver perfusate blocked production of Factor II coagulant activity, but did not change synthesis of the immunologically measured protein. In perfusions in which either heparin or citrate was used as anticoagulant, synthesis of albumin was not affected by the choice of anticoagulant but bile production and synthesis of Factor II were significantly less in citrate perfusions.     

引水后杭州西湖主要水质参数的因子分析

利用2000年西湖常规监测数据,通过聚类分析选取三个具有代表性的采样点,用因子分析方法探讨了西湖水质各个参数之间的相互影响,结果表明,西湖水质主要受水温和营养盐的影响,各水域由于所处的地理位置和受到钱塘江引水影响程度的不同又有各自的主要水质影响因子,说明引水工程对改善西湖水质具有一定的作用。     

大鼠损伤坐骨神经远侧端CNTF表达的免疫组织化学研究

目的：探讨大鼠坐骨神经损伤后CNTF的表达和变化。方法：采用抗CNTF抗免疫组织化学方法和计算机图像处理系统定量观察大鼠正常坐骨神经与坐骨神经横断损伤后1周、2周、4周神经远侧端CNTF的表达。结果：正常大鼠坐骨神经具有高水平的CNTF免疫阳性反应,坐骨神经损伤后1周、2周、4周远侧端神经中CNTF免疫阳性反应均低于正常坐骨神经,免疫阳性反应强度为正常＞伤后1周＞伤后2周＞伤后4周,呈逐渐减弱趋势。结论：大鼠坐骨神经损伤后远侧端神经中CNTF的表达呈下调性变化。     

Effect of chronic infusion of olanzapine and clozapine on food intake and body weight gain in male and female rats

Many antipsychotics cause weight gain in humans, but usually not in rats, when injected once or twice daily. Since blood antipsychotic half-lives are short in rats, compared to humans, chronic administration by constant infusion may be necessary to see consistent weight gain in rats. Male and female rats were implanted with mini-pumps for constant infusion of olanzapine (5 mg/kg/day), clozapine (10 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 11 days. Food intake and body weight were measured; blood drug levels were measured by HPLC. Olanzapine increased food intake and body weight in female, but not male rats. Serum olanzapine concentrations were 30-35 ng/ml. Clozapine had no effect on food intake or body weight in female or male rats. Serum clozapine concentrations were about 75 ng/ml. Single-dose pharmacokinetic analysis revealed a serum terminal half-life of 1.2-1.5 h for each drug, with no sex differences. Despite the fact that olanzapine and clozapine promote weight gain in humans, these drugs appear to have minimal effects on body weight and food intake in rats, except for a modest effect of olanzapine in female rats, even though therapeutic levels of olanzapine are achieved in serum during chronic infusion. Hence, the rapid clearance of drug following single administration in previous studies cannot explain the weak or absent effects of antipsychotics on weight gain in this species. The rat thus appears to be an inadequate model of weight gain produced by some antipsychotics in humans.     

Neophobia and cortical and subcortical binding of the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist [3H]-raclopride

The potential role of dopamine system in response to novelty was analysed using the selective dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, raclopride, in behavioral and biochemical assays, in rats (the open field test, and specific binding of [3H]-raclopride, within different brain structures measured with autoradiography). It was found that raclopride at a low dose (50 microg/kg, IP) caused anxiolytic-like effect (increased the anti-thigmotactic index), whereas at a higher dose (500 microg/kg, IP) produced general inhibitory influence, and decreased the anti-thigmotactic index. Analysis of the behavioral and biochemical results of the experiment revealed a significant negative correlation between the ligand binding in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR), and the number of entries into the central sector of the open field (r=-0.48, p<0.05), as well as the positive correlation between time spent in the central sector of the open field and [3H]-raclopride binding within nucleus accumbens septi (r=0.57, p<0.05). Factor analysis revealed a Factor 1 (eigenvalue=3.361) grouping parameters of central entries into the open field and [3H]-raclopride binding in the SNR (factor loadings are 0.814 and 0.703 respectively), indicating that both phenomena are under control of a similar central process. The above data are discussed in relation to the structure dependent dopamine D2 receptor mechanisms in a rat response to novelty.     

Differential Effects of Undernourishment and Nutritional Rehabilitation on Serum Leptin Levels in Male and Female Rats

Leptin, a peptide hormone, is secreted by adipose tissue and is crucial to the regulation of feeding behaviour. The present study has shown that both male and female rats which have been undernourished since day six of gestation, show significantly decreased serum leptin levels on postnatal day 12; but when undernourishment continues into adulthood, only males continue to show decreased leptin levels. If nutritional rehabilitation is implemented early enough in males, serum leptin levels recover and nearly reach levels found in control adult males. Undernutrition also has a long term effect on body weight in both sexes, but nutritional rehabilitation leads to some degree of body weight recovery varying with sex and the age at which rehabilitation was implemented. Undernutrition seems to affect different developmental processes in males than in females, with males being more vulnerable than females in so far as long-term effects on serum leptin levels.     

Factor analysis in clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub)

Summary The pattern of diversity in forty genotypes of clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub) was analysed using the centroid method of factor analysis based on nine characters. Three factors were found to adequately account for most of the intercorrelations in the four environments. Branches, clusters, pods and seed yield/plant could be grouped as productivity factors; days to flowering, maturity and plant height as growth factors; seeds/pod and gum content as economic factor. Interestingly, the constitution of the factors were the same in all the environments. The loadings on the economic factors were relatively unstable, whereas the loadings on productivity and growth factors were stable. It is concluded that productivity and growth factors play a pivotal role towards diversity in clusterbean. The results of factor analysis provides confirmatory evidence of diversity in clusterbean, which was earlier studied by using generalized distance, and thus proves the adequacy of the centroid method in biological investigations.     

Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur funktionellen Morphologie des Tubero-hypophysären Systems der Ratte

Zusammenfassung 1. Die Gefäßfortsätze von ependymalen und subependymalen Zellen bilden in der subependymalen Zone und in der Zona interna des Ratteninfundibulum mit Nervenfasern kompakte neuro-gliöse Faserbündel, die sich in der Zona externa aufzweigen.2. In allen Zonen des Infundibulum kommen zwischen den Nervenfasern und den Gefäßfortsätzen zahlreiche neuro-gliöse Synapsen vor. In den Gefäßfortsätzen fällt die hohe Zahl an Mikrotubuli sowie die zahlreichen, vielgestaltigen Einschlüsse auf.3. In der subependymalen Zone sind die Interzellularspalten an bestimmten Stellen außerordentlich weit. Sie haben eine kanalartige Beschaffenheit und enthalten feine Bündel von Nervenfasern.4. Von den lateralen Anteilen des Infundibulum her erreichen Dendriten von Ganglienzellen des Nucleus infundibularis die Mitte des Infundibulum. In dieser Region sind axodendritische Synapsen anzutreffen.5. Morphometrische Analysen der Nervenfaserendigungen der Zona externa von Normaltieren zeigen, daß die prozentuale Verteilung der nach Granulagröße differenzierten Nervenfaserklassen für Mitte und Seite der Zona externa etwa gleich ist. Zwischen der Größe der Elementargranula und der Anschnittfläche der zugehörigen Nervenfasern besteht eine direkte Beziehung.6. Die Nervenfaserendigungen erreichen die Basalmembran des perikapillären Raumes fast ausschließlich im Bereich von gefäßwärts gerichteten Vorwölbungen der Zona externa. Das Ausmaß, in dem Nervenfasern im Vergleich zu den Gefäßfortsätzen von Ependymund Gliazellen den perivaskulären Raum erreichen, ist medial weitaus größer als lateral.7. Bei bilateral adrenalektomierten Ratten nimmt in bestimmten, vorwiegend lateral gelegenen Nervenfasern die Zahl und Größe der Elementargranula in Abhängigkeit von der Überlebensdauer zu. Dies dürfte auf eine verstärkte Synthese und Speicherung von Corticotropin-Releasing Factor in diesen Nervenfasern zurückzuführen sein. Gegenüber dem Normalbefund ist die neurohämale Kontaktfläche erheblich vergrößert. Der perivaskuläre Raum enthält zerfallene Nervenfaserteile, die durch Bindegewebszellen phagocytiert werden. Diese Veränderungen dürften durch eine unter Versuchsbedingungen verstärkte Wachstumstendenz der Nervenfasern in Richtung auf die Blutgefäße und durch eine Abschnürung der Nerven-faserendigungen ausgelöst werden.

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Ultrastructural observations on the functional morphology of the tubero-hypophyseal system of the rat

Summary 1. In the subependymal and internal zones of the rat median eminence nerve fibres and vascular processes of ependymal and subependymal cells form neuro-glial bundles. They branch in the external zone.2. In all these three zones of the infundibulum numerous neuro-glial synapses are found between nerve fibres and vascular processes of glial cells. The vascular processes contain a high number of microtubules as well as polymorphous granular inclusions.3. In certain regions of the subependymal layer the intercellular spaces are enlarged. They form channel-like spaces containing small bundles of delicate nerve fibres.4. Nerve cells of the infundibular nucleus located in the lateral parts of the infundibulum send dendrites to the medial parts of the infundibulum. In this area axo-dendritic synapses are found.5. For morphometric analysis, the nerve fibres of the external zone were classified according to the diameter of their granules. It is shown that in the different regions of the external zone the distribution of the various types of nerve fibre is similar. Moreover it can be seen that a direct correlation exists between the size of the sectional plane of a given nerve fibre and the size of the granules it comprises.6. Nerve fibre endings abutting on the basement membrane of the pericapillary space are mostly found in bulb-like protrusions of the external zone. The extent to which nerve fibres reach the perivascular space—as compared with the vascular processes of ependymal and glial cells—is higher in the medial than in the lateral parts of the infundibulum.7. In bilaterally adrenalectomized rats the number and diameter of elementary granules increases in nerve fibres located laterally. This increase is directly related to the survival time and may be due to an enhanced synthesis and storage of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor in these nerve fibres. Compared with the findings in untreated animals the neurohemal contact area is significantly enlarged. The perivascular space contains degenerating nerve fibres which are undergoing phagocytosis by connective tissue cells. It is assumed that these alterations are due to the increased growth of nerve fibres towards the vessels of the Mantelplexus, and that, following adrenalectomy, this excessive growth leads to a pinching off of nerve fibres.

Teil einer Habilitationsschrift, die der Medizinischen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn vorgelegen hat.     

Family studies of tooth size factors in the permanent dentition.

Correlations between dimensions of the permanent teeth in Australian Aboriginals were studied by factor analysis to disclose the main sources of shared variability. Findings indicated that in both males and females most of the common variability in the tooth dimensions could be accounted for by factors representing mesiodistal size of anterior teeth, buccolingual size of anterior teeth, generalized size of the premolars and generalized size of the molars. Factor scores derived from the analysis were used to calculate intraclass correlations among brothers and among sisters. These correlations tended to be higher for the factors contributing most to the common variability indicating that the factors might represent fields under direct genetic control. There was no trend for intraclass correlations among siblings derived from multivariate scores to be consistently higher than those based on observed tooth dimensions. The main advantage to the user of factor analysis is the ability to interpret associations between interrelated variables more objectively than is possible by conventional correlation methods.     

Factor and principal component analyses as alternatives to index selection

Summary Selections from factor and principal component analyses were compared with those from the Smith-Hazel index when selecting for several switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) traits. The objective of this study was to examine several alternatives to index selection. Such procedures would potentially eliminate problems of selection associated with Smith-Hazel indices, including errors in genetic parameter estimates and difficulty in assigning relative economic weights to traits. Selection was performed on 1,280 plants that were evaluated over 2 years at 1 location, in a randomized complete block design with 4 replicates. The plants were evaluated for forage yield and several forage quality traits. The comparisons of index selection with principal factor analysis, maximum-likelihood factor analysis and principal component analysis were made for three sets of traits (five traits per set) to estimate repeatability for the comparisons. Multivariate analyses were performed on both simple and genotypic correlation matrices. Comparisons were made by computing Spearman's rank correlations between selection index plant scores and scores computed from multivariate analysis and by determining the number of plants selected in common for the selection methods. Among the three multivariate analysis methods evaluated in this study, principal component analysis had the highest correlation with index selection. The high correlation for principal component analysis of simple correlation matrices indicates the potential for using this statistical method for selection purposes. This would permit the breeder to reduce field costs (e.g., time, labor, equipment) required to obtain the genetic parameter estimates necessary to construct selection indices.     

Insulin mediates the linkage acceleration of muscle protein synthesis, thermogenesis, and heat storage by amino acids

Amino acid (AA) administration can stimulate heat accumulation in the body, as especially found under anesthetic conditions. To test our hypothesis that marked rise in plasma insulin concentrations following AA administration plays an important role in the heat storage, we intravenously administered either a balanced AA mixture or saline over 3 h, both with and without a primed-constant infusion of somatostatin in propofol-anesthetized rats. Rats on AA but lacking marked rise in plasma insulin by somatostatin treatment failed to show: attenuation of fall in core body temperature; partial increases in oxygen consumption; and stimulated muscle protein synthesis. Furthermore, the AA’s stimulatory effects on phosphorylation of mTOR, 4E-BP1, and S6K1 were partially blocked by somatostatin. Our findings strongly suggest that the marked rise in insulin following AA administration promote translation initiation activities and stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which facilitates heat accumulation in the body.     

A factor analysis of morphogenetic fields in the human dentition

The traditional morphogenetic fields of the human dentition were evaluated by means of factor analysis of dental dimensions taken from a series of human crania. When crown length, crown width and crown index were considered separately, factors emerged which could be identified with the tooth group fields. But a combined crown length-crown width analysis generated factors which extended beyond the regional tooth groups. Crown width itself was revealed to be an important axis of morphologic intergration. It was concluded that univariate methods are not adequate for identifying morphogenetic fields; the teeth must be treated as multidimensional units where the correlation among dimensions is accounted for.     

甘蔗品质指标的通径分析和因子分析

应用通径分析和因子分析方法,对36个甘蔗品种（系）的11个品质指标数据进行分析。简单相关分析结果表明,甘蔗蔗糖分除了与蔗渣蒸煮液失水量没有显著相关外,与其他9个品质指标均有显著或极显著相关性。甘蔗纤维分与甘蔗出汁率、蔗汁折光锤度、蔗汁旋光读数、蔗汁直接转光度、蔗汁间接转光度和蔗渣含水量有极显著相关性,而与蔗渣蒸煮液失水量、蒸煮液的折光锤度和蒸煮液的旋光读数的相关性不显著。通径分析结果表明,甘蔗蔗糖分主要受甘蔗出汁率、蔗汁直接转光度、蔗汁间接转光度、蔗渣蒸煮液失水量和蒸煮液的旋光读数等5个指标影响较大,而甘蔗纤维分主要受甘蔗出汁率、蔗渣含水量、蔗渣蒸煮液失水量和蒸煮液的折光锤度等4个指标影响较大。因子分析结果表明,9个甘蔗品质指标可由4个主因子所代表。其特征值的累计贡献率迭94．30％。前3个主因子分别为蔗汁糖分指标因子、蔗渣糖分指标因子和蔗渣水分因子。其特征值的累计贡献率达83．06％,第4个主因子只有蔗渣蒸煮液失水量载荷值较大。     

Sex differences in body size and body condition in breeding Temminck’s Stints Calidris temminckii

There have been very few reports of body size measurements of live Temminck’s Stints, but earlier studies have shown sex differences in body mass and tarsus length. Here we use molecular techniques to determine the sex of Temminck’s Stints from a Norwegian breeding population. In total, we report measurements of body weight, wing length, tarsus length, bill length, skull length and keel length from 17 males and 30 females. We found significant sex differences in all of these variables, with the exception of tarsus length. The differences in skull length disappeared after the bill lengths had been subtracted from the measurements. A discriminant function analysis based on wing length and bill length correctly classified 86% of the cases (12/16 males, 25/27 females). Female Temminck’s Stints are known to regularly lay more than one clutch of eggs per season and could therefore be expected to be physiologically deprived of bodily energy stores. Nevertheless, we found females to be in better body condition than males.