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Biomedical subjects

S Ghaffari

Publications and source records attributed to S Ghaffari.

20 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A quantitative and interspecific test for biological activity of anti-müllerian hormone: the fetal ovary aromatase assay.

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), also known as Müllerian-inhibiting substance or factor, has previously been shown to sex-reverse the steroidogenic pattern of fetal mammalian ovaries through repression of aromatase biosynthesis. Study of the ontogeny of the response of cyclic AMP-stimulated aromatase activity of rat fetal ovaries to AMH has allowed us to develop a quantitative bioassay for the hormone. Linear responses as a function of the logarithm of AMH concentration were observed over ranges of 0.2-7.5 micrograms/ml for the bovine protein and 0.15-2 micrograms/ml for the human protein, with a maximal decrease in aromatase activity of 90% for both proteins. Under the same in vitro conditions, AMH treatment did not affect cyclic AMP-stimulated fetal rat testicular aromatase activity. Partially purified chick AMH also decreased rat ovarian aromatase activity, allowing us to use this test to study AMH ontogeny in chick gonads. Analysis of the species specificity of AMH repression of ovarian aromatase activity indicated that turtle and rat fetal ovaries responded to AMH of other vertebrate classes, whereas aromatase activity of chick embryo ovaries could be repressed only by the homospecific hormone.

Animals↗

Laser probe temperature control by measuring the returning infra-red radiation.

The metal-tipped fibre or 'laser probe' developed for angioplasty comprises a metallic probe at the end of an optical fibre. The probe is heated by an argon or Nd:YAG laser and applied against the tissue to be vapourized. The heated probe generates infra-red radiation which is proportional to the temperature of the probe. The paper investigates the feasibility of a feedback control system that measures the temperature of the probe by detecting the infra-red radiation transmitted back through the fibre. The probe was initially heated by physical contact with a hot surface, and then by an argon laser via the optical fibre. The returning IR radiation was sensed by a lead sulphide detector, while probe temperature was simultaneously measured by a thermocouple. Temperatures as low as 200 degrees C were measured through a 5 m long fibre during the laser heating of the probe. The detector signal increased in an exponential fashion as the probe temperature increased. A resolution of 1 degree C was obtained at a probe temperature of 400 degrees C. It can be concluded that, for the laser probe, it is feasible to use a feedback control system which measures the infra-red radiation transmitted back through the same fibre that carries the heating laser light.

Feasibility Studies↗