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Journal Article 2006; 27(1-2): 114-120 PubMed PMID: 16648815 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:blood, Adult, Estradiol:blood, Female, Follicular Phase:metabolism, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Luteinizing Hormone:blood, Menstrual Cycle:metabolism, Progesterone:blood,.   

OBJECTIVES: A strong positive coupling has been already documented between the adrenocortical axis and the gonadal axis at the time of the initiation of the preovulatory LH surge of the menstrual cycle in the human. The LH preovulatory surge starts in the morning at the time of the acrophase (maximal plasma cortisol values) of the cortisol circadian rhythm. Also, it was shown that morning maximal plasma cortisol values were higher during the follicular phase than during the luteal phase. The objective of the present study was designed to determine the exact day of the fall of morning maximal plasma cortisol values and the functional correlates which could exist between plasma 17beta-Estradiol, LH, ACTH and Cortisol at the time of the preovulatory LH surge.

METHODS: We performed a detailed analysis of variations of plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations during the various phases of the LH surge: 1) the day before the ascending phase, 2) the day of the ascending phase, 3) the day of the LH peak, 4) the day of the descending phase, 5) the day after the descending phase. 17beta-Estradiol, LH and FSH were determined by microparticle enzyme immunoassays kits and Progesterone determination was made using a radioimmunoassay kit. ACTH determination was made using a RIA kit and Cortisol was assayed by a RIA method.

RESULTS: Plasma ACTH concentrations were at their highest the day before the day of the ascending phase of the LH surge and significantly higher than the day of the descending phase and the day after the day of the descending phase (p < 0.02). Plasma cortisol concentrations were at their highest, with almost similar values, the day before the day of the ascending phase, the day of the ascending phase and the day of the LH peak; then, plasma cortisol concentrations were significantly lower than those of the preceding days, the day of the descending phase (p = 0.0001) and the day after the day of the descending phase (p = 0.02), when plasma 17beta-Estradiol starts to decrease.

CONCLUSION: Overall, these results suggest that the positive ACTH-Cortisol-Estrogen dependency, well documented in the female rat, is also operating at midcycle during the menstrual cycle in the human....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(1-2): 133-136 PubMed PMID: 16648814 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Aged, Aging:metabolism, Amino Acids:metabolism, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:metabolism, Cytosol:metabolism, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mitochondrial Myopathies:metabolism, Muscle, Skeletal:growth & development, Myositis:metabolism, Neurom.   

: Sarcopenia describes the involuntary decline in muscle mass with aging, coupled with fatigue, and loss of force and function. We investigated 113 human muscle biopsy specimens obtained from patients with neuromuscular diseases and controls. We measured 21 amino acids in these muscle biopsies. Age emerged as a significant negative predictor of cytosolic concentration ratio of glutamine to total branched chain amino acids and of glutamine to total aromatic amino acids using stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. This pattern of alteration corresponds well to documented alterations in skeletal muscle of critically ill patients and after immobilization. Additionally, in myositis, citrulline was significantly elevated, while glutamate, lysine and taurine were significantly reduced. Furthermore, in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) the total aromatic amino acids, arginine, glutamate, threonine, and tyrosine were significantly elevated. This study provides evidence, that alteration of glutamine is correlated to aging and might reflect increased proteolysis in aged and diseased human skeletal muscle....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(1-2): 73-80 PubMed PMID: 16648813 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Aging:metabolism, Child, Electromagnetic Fields:adverse effects, Female, Humans, Male, Melatonin:urine, Sex Characteristics, Television,.   

OBJECTIVES: Changes in magnetic field are associated with a decrease in nocturnal urinary melatonin excretion. Television screens emit low and very low frequency electromagnetic waves (radiofrequencies and light) and exposure to them may be associated with a decrease in 24-hour melatonin in children's urine. Design and setting. An observational study in schools of Cavriglia, Italy, determined melatonin in 24-hour urines from 42 boys and 32 girls 6 to 13 years of age after one week of watching TV and after another week of abstaining from watching TV.

RESULTS AND MAIN FINDINGS: In a gender- and age-dependent fashion, exposure to a television screen was associated with lower urinary melatonin concentrations, affecting particularly younger children at a pubertal stage when important changes in melatonin's time structure occur.

CONCLUSION: Additional work should test further relations to growth, maturation and development, focusing on any adverse effect from exposure to a television screen also on obesity from a neuro-hormonal viewpoint, quite apart from any decreased activity and/or other lifestyle alterations associated with watching TV....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(1-2): 219-224 PubMed PMID: 16648810 Citation  Keywords:  3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases:genetics, Adrenal Cortex Hormones:metabolism, Alleles, Child, China:epidemiology, Female, Gene Frequency, Genotype, Gonadal Steroid Hormones:blood, Humans, Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins, Molecular Sequence Data, Phosp.   

OBJECTIVES: In order to investigate whether the variances in the candidate genes (Insulin receptor substrate IRS-1, beta3-adrenergic receptor ADRB3, 3 beta-hydro-xysteroid dehydrogenase HSD3B2, glucocorticoid receptor GRL and 21-hydroxylase CYP21) which affect the metabolism of adrenal steroids hormone and body composition, are associated with precocious puberty in Chinese girls.

METHODS: PCR-RFLP analysis method was applied in the typing of six activity SNPs in five genes in two groups: 176 precocious puberty girls as case and 192 healthy girls as control.

RESULTS: The typing results showed that the frequencies of the allele CYP21 L282 polymorphism were 32.7% and 32.6% in case and control groups (P=0.518), respectively. For IRS-1 R972, they were 0.6% in cases and 2.3% in controls (P=0.043), for ADRB3 R64, 13.6% in cases and 12% in controls (P=0. 378), and for GRL S363, 7.4% in cases and 5.73% in controls (P=0.335). No sample in the two groups carries the variation of CYP21 I172N and HSD3B2 L236S.

CONCLUSION: Among these six activity SNPs in five candidate genes, IRS-1 972R was statistically associated with the onset time of puberty in Chinese girls. In order to confirm whether the candidate genes have any other activity SNPs that are associated with the onset time of puberty in Chinese girls, resequencing of these candidate genes is needed in following time....

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Case Reports 2006; 27(1-2): 93-96 PubMed PMID: 16648809 Citation  Keywords:  Adenoma:metabolism, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone:blood, Cell Proliferation, Human Growth Hormone:blood, Humans, Hydrocortisone:blood, Immunohistochemistry, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I:metabolism, Male, Microscopy, Electron, Middle Aged, Pituitary Hormones.   

: Herein, we report the case of a 46-year-old male patient with only one month of double vision. Radiological examination revealed a pituitary tumor. Endocrinological investigations showed no pathological alterations of anterior pituitary function. Neuropathological examinations revealed a pituitary gland adenoma with an elevated proliferation rate (MIB-1 index 4-5 %) as well as an elevated p53 expression leading to the diagnosis of an atypical pituitary adenoma. Interestingly, the tumor exhibited strong basophilia in routine histology and densely secretory granules in electron microscopy (EM). However, no hormone excess was detectable in immunohistochemistry. In contrast to clinical and immunohistochemical observations, EM and routine histology findings implied a hormone production. This discrepancy might be due to a production of unfunctional pre-stages of pituitary gland proteins in this fast growing neoplasm....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(1-2): 174-176 PubMed PMID: 16648807 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Cataplexy:complications, Citalopram:therapeutic use, Ejaculation:drug effects, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Narcolepsy:complications, Retrospective Studies, Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors:therapeutic use, Sleep,.   

BACKGROUND: Narcolepsy with cataplexy is a debilitating sleep disease of which some symptoms can be treated with antidepressants. The antidepressant escitalopram is considered the most specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten patients (5 men and 5 women, age range 18-77 years) suffering from narcolepsy with cataplexy occurring at least weekly were treated with escitalopram 5 or 10 mg a day for 28-98 days. These patients were barred from taking any drugs influencing cataplexy and also had no other diseases affecting sleep or vigilance.

RESULTS: The mean number of cataplexies per week in 8 compliant patients declined significantly from 6.7 (+/-SD=7.2) to 0.3 (+/-0.6), P=0.02 (Sign test). Cataplexy completely disappeared in 6 patients. Subjective daytime sleepiness, power of concentration, quality of night sleep and mood remained unchanged. During the treatment, two patients had ejaculation disturbances. Two patients withdrew from the therapy (one because of ejaculation disturbance, the other for unknown reason).

CONCLUSION: Escitalopram proved to have anticataplectic effects in this small-scale open-label study....

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Journal Article 2006; 27(1-2): 183-188 PubMed PMID: 16648806 Citation  Keywords:  Absorptiometry, Photon, Acromegaly:blood, Adult, Aged, Body Mass Index, Bone Density:physiology, Cytokines:blood, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Human Growth Hormone:blood, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sex Characteristics, Testosterone:blood,.   

OBJECTIVES: Elevated cytokines levels were observed as a marker of increased bone resorption in certain diseases. The aim was to assess serum levels of selected cytokines in acromegaly, regarding to different disease's stages, gonadal function, gender and character of BMD change.

METHODS: The study was carried out in 62 patients with acromegaly (40 women, 22 men) aged 26-75 years in various stages of the disease. The controls were 30 healthy, age- and sex-matched subjects. Serum cytokines concentration was assessed using ELISA method.

RESULTS: We have shown higher (p=0.044) concentrations of TGF-beta in male patients with active acromegaly than in cured males. When the influence of all cytokines studied on BMD using multiple regression analysis was carried out, the borderline (p=0.099) statistical significance was achieved (regression coefficient B=0.68271) according to TGF-beta and trochanter major BMD. IL-6 and TNF-alpha were higher (p=0.062, and p=0.098, respectively) in these acromegalic patients, in which gain of trochanter major BMD occurred. IL-1beta levels were lower in patients with ultradistal radius and 1/3 distal radius BMD gain (p=0.007, and p=0.009, respectively). Lower TGF-beta levels (p=0.077) were shown in patients with 1/3 distal radius gain. IL-6 levels were higher in patients with total body BMD gain (p=0.059).

CONCLUSIONS: The relations between TGF-beta and acromegaly activity in men, and trochanter major BMD in both sexes were documented. Concentrations of all cytokines studied correlated with the BMD changes in different bone sites. Noteworthy is homogeneity of the secretory character of cytokines studied according to BMD changes within particular skeleton sites....

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Case Reports 2006; 27(1-2): 142-144 PubMed PMID: 16648805 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Anthropometry, Azoospermia:etiology, Body Height:physiology, Body Weight:physiology, Gonadal Steroid Hormones:blood, Humans, Klinefelter Syndrome:diagnostic imaging, Male, Testis:blood supply, Twins, Ultrasonography,.   

: A rare case of Klinefelter syndrome in identical twins is reported. Hormonal levels before and after hCG administration and testicular artery Doppler flow measurements are presented....

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