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Background:Most studies describing an association between hypertension and an inflammatory/pro-thrombotic state do not assess insulin resistance. Aim:To examine the association between hypertension and new cardiovascular risk factors when considering both classical risk factors and insulin resistance. Methods:In a population-based sample of 1030 subjects, clinical information and blood samples were obtained. Subjects were classified according to the presence or absence of hypertension, and insulin resistance was estimated using the homeostasis model of assessment (HOMA). To identify variables independently associated with hypertension, a four-model multiple logistic regression was performed: model 1 included novel risk factors (Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 [PAI-1], fibrinogen, von Willebrand Factor [vWF], lipoprotein(a), homocysteine and C-reactive Protein [CRP]); model 2, novel risk factors plus HOMA; model 3 included both classical (smoking, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, waist circumference and diabetes) and novel risk factors and model 4, model 3 plus HOMA. All were adjusted for age, BMI and gender and compared using Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC). Results:In model 1, only PAI-1, age and BMI showed association with hypertension. When HOMA and classical risk factors were also included, PAI-1 was replaced by triglyceride, smoking and diabetes. The lowest AIC value (best adjustment) was displayed by model 4, comprising all of the variables. Only age, BMI, HOMA and smoking remained significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusions:The novel cardiovascular risk factors assessed do not add information as markers of hypertension when classical risk factors or insulin resistance are included in the evaluation.

Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is a congenital malformation in which micrognathia causes retroposition of the tongue. This results in feeding and breathing difficulties that can lead to severe complications. If conservative treatment is not sufficient, a surgical procedure such as a tongue-lip adhesion can be performed. The objective of this study was to evaluate our benefits and complications with this operation.

This analysis presents the development of the Holstein dairy system in Brazil, evaluating system sustainability during a time of crisis, based on changes in system productivity, stability, resilience and equity. Sustainability indicators are used to describe these changes. Records of Holstein cows registered in the National Dairy Cattle Archive from 1980 to 1992 were analysed to include a crisis period around 1990. The Holstein dairy farming system showed high stability and resilience in terms of milk production, although a high sensitivity to disturbances was evident.

This analysis presents the development of the Holstein dairy system in Brazil, evaluating system sustainability during a time of crisis, based on changes in system productivity, stability, resilience and equity. Sustainability indicators are used to describe these changes. Records of Holstein cows registered in the National Dairy Cattle Archive from 1980 to 1992 were analysed to include a crisis period around 1990. The Holstein dairy farming system showed high stability and resilience in terms of milk production, although a high sensitivity to disturbances was evident.

Hormonal therapy and genderconfirming surgery are the treatments of choice in appropriately selected maletofemale transsexuals. Penectomy and vaginoplasty are the paramount surgical requests of the male transsexual, but breast enlargement greatly increases subjective feelings of femininity. There are only limited reports on augmentation mammaplasty in male transsexuals, and hardly any attention has been paid to the differences between the female mammary anatomy and its male counterpart.

Sprague-Dawley rats were injected sc with lead acetate in suspension, or with sodium acetate (controls) on the d 9 of pregnancy and every 3-4 d thereafter until the pups were 13 or 21 d of age. At termination, testicular homogenates or isolated Sertoli cells were used to study steroidogenesis and gonadotropin binding. Lead had no significant effect on the mother's water and food consumption, on the pup's body or testis weights, on the number of pups and the time of birth, and on the seminiferous tubule diameter. Homogenates of testes of the lead-treated group converted significantly less (p <0.01) labeled progesterone (14Cor 3H) to 5α-pregnane-3,20-dione, 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-onet 17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one (DHT), 3(α,β))-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one, testosterone/17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and androstenedione. Sertoli cells from lead-treated animals converted significantly less (p < 0.01) progesterone to 5α-pregnane-3α,20α-diol, 3α-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one, DHT, and 20α-hydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one. These data and direct spectrophotometric assays indicated that 3α-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase (3α-HSO), 3β-HSO, 20α-HSO, Sctreductase, and C17-20-lyase had been affected. The receptor studies showed that the binding of [125 I]rFSH to testicular receptors was significantly reduced from 35,600 (control) to 25,980 cpm/mg protein (lead). This is the first evidence that lead exposure fin utero and via mother's milk) significantly reduces steroid production and hormone binding in the testis at the onset of puberty.

RÉSUMÉL'imagerie radar à antenne synthétique s'est avérée très utile pour la mise en carte de zones inondées grâce à la sensibilité des micro-ondes à l'eau à l'état liquide. Les inondations de mai 1996 et de mai 1997 dans le delta des rivières de la Paix et Athabasca, au Canada, sont mises en carte avec succès au moyen de l'imagerie RADARSAT étalonnée. Nous avons identifié la répartition des eaux de crues en segmentant les images en trois classes distinctes : eaux de surface, saules inondés et zones non inondées.Les résultats de la classification dirigée des images originales ne sont pas acceptables à cause de la grande variance locale due au mouchetage. Pour améliorer les résultats de classification, nous utilisons le ton et la texture des images. Dès le départ, le mouchetage est réduit au minimum au moyen d'un filtre 7times7 gamma MAP (maximum a posteriori) appliqué à chaque image. Les classifications qui en résultent sont grandement améliorées, le coefficient kappa étant de plus de 90 %. L'information de texture est ensuite ajoutée à la classification, au moyen d'un coefficient de variation de la scène. Cette information supplémentaire réduit légèrement le coefficient kappa. Toutefois, l'inspection visuelle révèle que certains bords de chenal et de lac sont mieux classifiés comme des saules inondés. Ces zones correspondent à la transition de la végétation et constituent un excellent habitat pour les oiseaux aquatiques. Bien que les trois classes principales aient des signatures texturales et tonales distinctes, les propriétés moyennes (c.-à-d. le ton des images) des images à mouchetage réduit sont suffisantes pour une classification exacte.

The discussion on possible side effects of implanted silicone has resulted in a growing number of patients inquiring whether or not their mammary prostheses are intact and when failure of the prostheses is to be expected. Between November 1988 and May 1995, 182 patients had their silicone mammary prostheses replaced, repositioned, or removed one to three times. Capsular contraction, dislocation, pain paresthesia, andor suspected rupture were common indications for surgery. To try and be able to provide an indication as to the correlation of implant age and integrity, we recorded the status of all 426 prostheses observed during secondary surgery. In this selected group of patients, approximately 50 percent of the mammary prostheses with an implant age of 7 to 10 years showed gel bleed or rupture. Applying the survival KaplanMeier curve, 50 percent of implants may be expected to bleed or be ruptured at the age of 15 years. Rupture was observed more frequently than gel bleed. It seems that there is no chronologic relation between gel bleed and rupture. Plast. Reconstr. Surg.100 1723, 1997.

Porcine luteal LH/hCG receptor (LH/hCG R) was solubilized with 70-80% recovery from the crude plasma membrane fraction by Triton X-100 in the presence of 25% glycerol and protease inhibitors. The solubilized receptor maintained 90% of original activity at -60 degrees C for 90 days. Equilibrium association constant (Ka) values of 1.92, 2.22, and 2.03 X 10(10) M-1 were observed for the whole homogenate, plasma membrane fraction, and solubilized LH/hCG R preparations, respectively. The specific binding capacity for the same fractions were 49, 70, 55 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Complexes of LH/hCG R and Triton X-100 were resolved into two components with approximate Mr = 2.7 X 10(5) and 5.4 X 10(5) by gel filtration on Sepharose 6B and two glycoprotein components by chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose. Solubilized porcine LH/hCG R was purified by two cycles of affinity chromatography on highly purified hCG-Sepharose with an overall recovery of 30-35% of the initial activity in the Triton extract. Purified porcine LH/hCG R had a specific binding capacity of 2300 pmol/mg protein and a Ka = 1.5 X 10(10) M-1. Silver staining of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels demonstrated that the major protein in porcine LH/hCG R preparations has Mr = 68,000. A weakly staining band at Mr = 45,000 was also observed in the purified receptor preparation. Analysis of iodinated purified LH/hCG R by autoradiography has confirmed these results. Porcine LH/hCG R was purified 40,000-fold by this method.

Purified porcine luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin receptors were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis following reduction and thermal denaturation and stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue. A major protein of Mr = 77 +/- 4 X 10(3) and a minor protein of Mr = 66 +/- 4 X 10(3) were observed. Iodoreceptor proteins were resolved into a major component of Mr = 77 +/- 3 X 10(3) and a minor component of Mr = 62 +/- 5 X 10(3) after reduction and thermal denaturation. In the absence of reduction, the iodoreceptor had a major component of Mr 63 +/- 3 X 10(3). Purified human chorionic gonadotropin specifically transferred part of the iodoreceptor from the Mr = 63 X 10(3) species to an Mr = 110-120 X 10(3) species. Purified receptors were analyzed by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and identified by specific binding of iodo-human chorionic gonadotropin. Three binding species with approximate Mr = 60 X 10(3), 130 X 10(3), and 260 X 10(3) were identified. Iodoreceptors co-migrated with the Mr = 60 X 10(3) species under the same conditions. Similar results were obtained following renaturation of receptors separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis without reduction and thermal denaturation. These results suggest for the first time that the porcine corpus luteum luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin receptor may be a hormone binding monomer of Mr = 60-65 X 10(3), and that the monomer may associate to form hormone binding polymeric receptor complexes.

Mobility measurements of alkali-earth ions Be+, Mg+, Ca+, Sr+and Ba+in the temperature range 1.27 to 1.66 K are presented. The mobility of Be+shows a different behavior in comparison to that of Mg+, although the properties of the two elements are similar. This may suggest that Be+forms an alternate structure, perhaps a snowball, compared to the bubble like defect of Mg+.

Silicone gel leakage problems are central to the furor over the complications alleged to be caused by breast implants. Because clinical examination may not reveal confirmatory signs of gel bleed or rupture, radiologists are often requested by plastic surgeons to evaluate the integrity of the implant's envelope. The findings of the various imaging investigations are reported in terms such as “teardrop,” “linguini,” and “snowstorm.” To interpret the radiologist's report correctly, the plastic surgeon should be familiar with these terms and the findings they represent. In this article, we present an explanation of the radiologists’ vocabulary in these matters, as well as an indication as to the significance of the various signs. Plast. Reconstr. Surg.102 1281, 1998.

An experimental study of temperature profiles in water boiling on a horizontal copper surface is reported for incipient boiling conditions and for 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 Btu/hr-ft2 heat flux at various levels of subcooling ranging from 0 to 105 deg F. The extrapolated superheat layer thickness results for the incipient boiling conditions lend support to Hsu’s mathematical model for bubble nucleation. Increasing heat flux and decreasing subcooling were observed to result in a decreasing extrapolated superheat layer thickness. Analysis of some additional results for Freon-113 boiling on a glass surface indicated that the thickness of the extrapolated superheat layer was governed by the bubble flux density which was influenced by both heat flux and subcooling.

IntroductionRestenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation in patients with prior CABG is poorly studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and predictors of angiographic restenosis after PCI in patients with and without prior CABG.MethodsPatients undergoing successful PCI of 1 or more de novo lesions with available surveillance angiography at 6–8 months after intervention were eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria were cardiogenic shock, renal replacement therapy and prior cardiac transplantation. Patients with prior CABG were further classified into patients who underwent bypass graft PCI versus native vessel PCI. The primary endpoint was in-segment binary restenosis at 6–8 months angiographic follow-up. Multivariate analyses were performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics between groups and to determine predictors of binary restenosis.Results10,004 patients with 14,999 lesions were included, 8,803 patients (88%) without prior CABG and 1,201 (12.0%) with prior CABG. Of patients with prior CABG, 379 (31.6%) patients had PCI to a bypass graft and 822 (68.4%) to a native vessel. A study flow diagram is shown in figure 1. Compared with patients without prior CABG, patients with prior CABG were older, had higher rates of diabetes and prior myocardial infarction, lower left ventricular ejection fraction and larger reference vessel diameter (2.95 vs. 2.85 mm, p<0.001). At 6–8 month angiographic follow-up, the rate of binary restenosis was significantly higher in patients with prior CABG compared to patients without prior CABG (25.0% vs. 20.0%, Padjusted<0.001). Among patients with prior CABG, patients with bypass graft PCI as compared to patients with native vessel PCI had a lower incidence of diabetes, a higher rate of presentation with ACS, larger target vessel size (3.42 vs. 2.80 mm, p<0.001) longer lesion length (16.0 vs. 13.9 mm, p=0.01) and significantly higher BMS use (72.1% vs. 37.0%, p<0.001). At 6–8 month angiographic follow-up, there was no significant difference in binary restenosis rates among patients with bypass graft PCI compared with those with native vessel PCI (23.8% vs. 25.3%, Padjusted=0.81). In patients with prior CABG, there was an independent association between native vessel PCI and restenosis (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.26–1.72, p<0.001) but not bypass graft PCI and restenosis (OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.96–1.66, p=0.09) (Figure 2).ConclusionsCompared with patients without prior CABG, patients with prior CABG had overall higher rates of restenosis. In patients with prior CABG, restenosis rates were similar in patients undergoing bypass graft PCI and native vessel PCI and native vessel PCI was independently associated with binary restenosis at 6–8 months.

The effects of gonadotrophins on the Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) activity in testes of Xenopus laevishave been determined by histochemical and spectrophotometric methods. Methallibure was employed to inhibit the activity of endogenous pituitary gonadotrophins. Injections of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMS), human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), or luteinizing hormone (LH) resulted in pronounced increases in 3β-HSD activity in the microsomal fraction. PMS was the most stimulatory; the injection of 250 i.u. resulted in an almost ten fold increase in activity. PMS and HCG were more effective than FSH and LH in stimulating 3β-HSD activity and PMS and FSH were more effective than HCG and LH respectively. The increases in activity were inhibited by concomitant injections of actinomycin. 3β-HSD activity was not stimulated directly by gonadotrophins in vitro, but another dehydrogenase or group of dehydrogenases appeared to be activated directly by HCG, FSH and LH but not by PMS. The results are discussed in relation to findings in mammals.