Testicular cells from human biopsy specimens were cultured and plasminogen activator secreted into the medium was investigated. Follicle stimulating hormone stimulated plasminogen activator secretion. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by zymography showed that the molecular weight of plasminogen activator produced by human testicular cells is the same as that of human urokinase. Antigenicity was also found to be of the urokinase type but not of the tissue type.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lipopolysaccharides selectively inhibit mouse placental lactogen-II secretion through stimulation of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and IL-6 production.

To determine whether lipopolysaccharides (LPS) regulate mouse placental lactogen-I (mPL-I), mPL-II, and mouse GHRF (mGHRF) secretion, mouse placental tissue from days 7, 9, and 12 of pregnancy was dispersed with collagenase and the purified trophoblast cells were cultured in a serum-free medium with or without LPS for 5 days. LPS significantly inhibited mPL-II secretion by cells from days 9 and 12 of pregnancy. However, LPS did not affect mPL-II secretion by cells from day 7 of pregnancy, mPL-I secretion by cells from days 7 and 9 of pregnancy, or mGHRF secretion by cells from day 12 of pregnancy. The inhibitory effect of LPS on mPL-II secretion by cells from day 12 of pregnancy was dose-dependent. Steady-state levels of mPL-II mRNA were significantly reduced by incubation of placental cells from day 12 of pregnancy with LPS. The inhibitory effect of LPS on mPL-II secretion was abolished by the addition of antibodies to IL-1 alpha and IL-6. These findings suggest that LPS selectively inhibit mPL-II secretion, at least partly through increases in IL-1 and IL-6 production, after midpregnancy.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Indocyanine green angiographic findings in 3 patients with traumatic hypotony maculopathy.

PURPOSE: Little is known about the choroidal circulation in human eyes with ocular hypotony. Recently, indocyanine green angiography (IA) became a useful method for examining choroidal circulation. The present study using IA was designed to determine choroidal circulatory disturbances in patients with traumatic hypotony maculopathy. METHODS: Indocyanine green angiography was performed on 3 consecutive patients (3 eyes) with traumatic hypotony. One patient underwent IA using an infrared fundus camera only during the hypotony stage. The other 2 patients underwent IA using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope before and after recovery of intraocular pressure (IOP). RESULTS: During the hypotony stage, IA revealed multiple hypofluorescent spots in many parts of the fundus, sector hypofluorescent areas, dilatation, and tortuosity of the choroidal vessels in the posterior pole. These findings had not been detected by fluorescein angiography. After surgical treatment, IOP returned to the normal range and visual acuity improved. Indocyanine green angiography showed improvement of the sector hypofluorescent areas, and dilatation and tortuosity of choroidal vessels in the posterior pole. However, most of the hypofluorescent spots and regional delay of choroidal filling remained. CONCLUSIONS: Indocyanine green angiography revealed that choroidal circulatory disturbances occurred during the hypotony stage and that some remained during the recovery stage.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of health-related quality of life in patients treated for erectile dysfunction with viagra (sildenafil citrate) using SF-36 score.

The effect of sildenafil on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was evaluated. Forty men (61+/-8 years old, mean +/- SD) with erectile dysfunction (ED) were studied. Sexual satisfaction as well as HRQOL according to SF-36 scales was evaluated before and after treatment with Viagra (Sildenafil citrate) at a dose of 25 or 50 mg. After treatment with Viagra, scores increased for all scales; of these, physical functioning (PF), general health (GH), and role-emotional functioning (RE) showed significant differences from baseline scores. Patients who evaluated effectiveness of the treatment as excellent showed significantly better PF, role-physical functioning (RP), and GH scale scores than those who evaluated their outcome as good or poor (p<.05 for RP and GH; p < .01 in PF). Incomparison with the scores at baseline, patients who considered outcome of Viagra to be excellent also showed significant improvements in PF, GH, and RE. Viagra treatment can improve HRQOL as well as sexual function in many patients.

Adult↗