Biomedical subjects

M Seppala

Publications and source records attributed to M Seppala.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1992

CA-125 and placental protein 14 concentrations in plasma and peritoneal fluid of women with deeply infiltrating pelvic endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the plasma and peritoneal fluid (PF) concentrations of CA-125 and placental protein (PP14) in women with deeply infiltrating endometriosis. DESIGN: Plasma and PF were collected during 384 consecutive laparoscopies for pelvic pain or infertility. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The presence and extent of endometriosis were carefully assessed, including the area, depth of infiltration, and volume of subtle lesions, typical lesions, and endometriomas. The day of the menstrual cycle was ascertained by endometrial biopsy and/or basal body temperature charts. RESULTS: Peritoneal fluid concentrations were some 100 and 10 times higher than plasma concentrations for CA-125 and PP14, respectively. Cyclic variations of CA-125 concentrations were only found in women with endometriosis showing increased plasma concentrations at the end of the cycle and increased PF concentrations in the early follicular phase. Cyclic variations of PP14 concentrations were found in women with and without endometriosis both in plasma and PF showing increased concentrations in the late luteal and early follicular phases. In women with endometriosis the increased plasma concentrations of PP14 and CA-125 correlated with the presence and volume of endometriomas and of deeply infiltrating endometriosis. The increased concentrations in PF correlated only with the pelvic area of subtle endometriotic lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of CA-125 for endometriosis were 25% and 87%, respectively, and for endometriomas and/or deeply infiltrating endometriosis 36% and 87%, respectively, for a cutoff concentration of 25 U/mL. CONCLUSION: Superficial pelvic endometriosis secretes PP14 and CA-125 mainly toward the PF, whereas endometriomas and deeply infiltrating endometriosis secrete mainly toward the plasma. The increased plasma concentrations of CA-125 are most pronounced during the late luteal phase, and endometriomas and/or deeply infiltrating endometriosis can be detected with a sensitivity of 36% and a specificity of 87%.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1990

First-trimester maternal serum biochemical indicators in Down syndrome.

A set of 21 early maternal serum samples (19 first-trimester and two at 14 weeks) from pregnancies resulting in a child with Down syndrome was matched for gestation and length of storage with 63 samples from unaffected pregnancies. The concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), unconjugated oestriol (uE3), human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP1), and placental alkaline phosphatase (PALP) were measured. The ratios of the medians for Down syndrome pregnancies compared with the medians for controls were AFP 0.71, uE3 0.67, hCG 1.43, SP1 0.79, and PALP 0.92. Although the differences between the medians for affected and unaffected pregnancies were not significant, the trends for AFP, uE3, and hCG confirm earlier findings on first-trimester samples.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1989

AIDS-related illness and AIDS risk in male homo/bisexual substance abusers: case reports and clinical issues.

Little has been written about the treatment of substance use disorders among seropositive HIV patients or high-risk seronegative substance abusers. Demographic and clinical characteristics, along with treatment issues, were examined based on experience with 18 patients in a substance abuse program in a university medical center (3 AID, 3 ARC, 9 seropositive only, and 3 seronegative high risk). Scores on a substance abuse rating scale were extremely high. Most of them abused three or more different substances, had used drugs parenterally, had more than 50 sex partners, and/or had received previous substance abuse treatment. Affective disorder, suicide attempt, and antisocial personality were frequent in this group. About half of the patients complied with treatment and showed improvement in their substance disorder. Several common themes in the management of these patients are described.

AIDS-Related Complex↗

PubMed1988

Diuretic use as a marker for eating problems and affective disorders among women.

Fourteen female symptomatic volunteers between the ages of 18 and 40 who used diuretics on a regular basis for reasons that were not medically necessary were evaluated. Seven (50%) were diagnosed as having a current or past syndromal or subsyndromal eating disorder, and 9 (64%) were diagnosed as having a current or past affective disorder. The results of this pilot study suggest that chronic diuretic use in young women should signal to the clinician the possibility of an unrecognized eating problem and/or an affective disorder.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Prescription diuretic abuse in patients with bulimia nervosa.

Bulimia nervosa, a common eating disorder usually characterized by binge eating and self-induced vomiting, may also involve abuse of prescription diuretics. This article describes four patients who abused prescription diuretics in large quantities (up to 2 g/d of furosemide) for extended periods of time. Physical examination and laboratory values provided few clues to the diagnosis of bulimia nervosa. Other eating-related behaviors previously linked to bulimia nervosa--including abuse of diet pills, illicit amphetamines, and laxatives, as well as withholding of insulin in one diabetic patient--were present in these cases. Usually the patients' primary physicians were not aware of these problems. Physicians should be aware that patients requesting prescription diuretics may have bulimia nervosa.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Inhibition by ethanol of forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase in a murine neuroblastoma clone (N1E-115).

Forskolin, a diterpene activator of adenylate cyclase, stimulated the formation of cyclic AMP in intact murine neuroblastoma clone N1E-115 cells and stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a membranal preparation from these cells. Ethanol caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of the forskolin-stimulated responses in both preparations. In intact cells, the inhibition appeared to be noncompetitive. However, in the membranal preparation the inhibition was more of a competitive nature. In addition, there was also a large difference in the amount of inhibition in the two systems. Thus, the inhibition by ethanol was nearly twice as much with intact cells as with membranes. Sucrose appeared to mimic these effects of ethanol, suggesting that with intact cells the effect of this alcohol may be due, in part, to changes in cellular osmotic pressure.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1985

The influence of pergonal on in vitro production of placental protein 5 (PP5) by ovarian tumour cells.

A radioimmunoassay for the measurement of placental protein 5 (PP5) has been developed using a second antibody-polyethyleneglycol method to separate free from bound ligand. PP5 immunoreactivity was detected in culture media from a cell line derived from a small cell carcinoma of the ovary (SCCWm2). The culture-derived PP5 shares immunological identity with pregnancy and ovarian follicular PP5. Affinity interactions between PP5 and matrices such as heparin or thrombin-Sepharose were similar and independent of the origin of PP5. PP5 was heterogeneous with two forms, a monomer (18k) and dimer (36k) being detected in all biological fluids examined. The dimer was predominant in ovarian follicles and the SCCWm2 cell line, while the monomer predominated in pregnancy serum. The basal rate of PP5 secretion by the SCCWm2 cell line was 0.61AU/24h/10(5) cells. Incubation of cells in the presence of 150mIU Pergonal stimulated PP5 production 20.6 fold and following removal of Pergonal the production rate was maintained at 18.0 times the basal rate. No choriconic gonadotrophin, pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein, pregnancy associated plasma protein-A or alpha fetoprotein was detected in the culture medium of the SCCWm2 cell line.

Carcinoma, Small Cell↗

PubMed1984

Effect of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone antiserum on sexual behavior in the female rat.

Various components of sexual receptivity were measured in ovariectomized, estrone-primed female rats following direct placement of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) or a LH-RH antiserum into the medial preoptic area. Two hours after treatment with LH-RH antiserum, rats showed a significant increase in lordosis behavior indicative of increased sexual receptivity. When tested 3 and 7 hours after treatment, both LH-RH antiserum and LH-RH-treated rats displayed increased lordosis behavior. Similar treatment with a specific peripheral LH-RH agonist and antagonist had no effect on sexual behavior. Proceptive behavior was absent or minimal in all groups and therefore was not affected by the different treatments. Similarly, there was no difference in the rejection quotients of the females representing the various treatment groups. These results demonstrate that the same behavioral response can be observed in animals treated centrally with LH-RH and a highly specific LH-RH antiserum. Similar treatments with a specific peripheral LH-RH agonist or antagonist were without effect. These results suggest that the characteristics of LH-RH recognition sites in the brain are different from those in the pituitary.

Animals↗

PubMed1980