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Objectives The diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) and distinguishing it from allergic rhinitis is difficult. Yet, early detection of CRSsNP is important to prevent progressive and severe chronic rhinosinusitis. Our aim was to compare diagnostic accuracy of symptoms, endoscopy, and imaging signs of CRSsNP and allergic rhinitis -only phenotypes. Setting Prospective controlled follow-up study. Participants Forty-two nonsmoking patients visiting tertiary care due to CRSsNP and 19 nonsmoking volunteer controls with allergic rhinitis filled a symptoms questionnaire and underwent nasal endoscopy off-seasonally. All CRSsNP patients underwent computed tomography scans of paranasal sinuses. All the allergic rhinitis control subjects and 14 of the CRSsNP patients underwent sinus magnetic resonance imaging. Results Radiologic Lund–Mackay score, duration of symptoms, visual analogue scale scores of symptoms, and Sinonasal Outcome Test 22 were significantly higher in the CRSsNP group compared to allergic rhinitis control group. These factors also correlated in part with each other. Endoscopic score did not correlate with other factors, nor did it differ between CRSsNP and allergic rhinitis groups. The highest area under curve value was demonstrated for visual analogue scale score of facial pain/pressure (0.93) and score ≥4/10 showed 60% sensitivity and 95% specificity for detecting CRSsNP group (P < .001). Radiologic sign of obstructed osteomeatal complex showed 100% specificity and 38% sensitivity for detecting CRSsNP group (P < .001). Conclusions CRSsNP phenotype could be primarily distinguished from allergic rhinitis by higher facial pain/pressure score and secondarily by radiologic sings of obstructed ostiomeatal complex and higher Lund–Mackay score. Endoscopic score has limited value in distinguishing CRSsNP from allergic rhinitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uterine protein research has advanced from the measurements of specific compounds to detailed analysis of the genes that regulate protein synthesis and build up the complex carbohydrate structures that play important functional roles. Some 80% of all human proteins are glycoproteins. Functional glycomics highlights the importance of glycosylation in glycoprotein function. Glycodelin is a representative example of functional glycomics because its various glycoforms have different functions. In the uterus, synthesis of glycodelin-A is temporally regulated by progesterone. During the estrogen-dominated fertile window, absence of glycodelin synthesis is significant because uterine glycodelin-A potently and dose-dependently inhibits sperm-egg binding, the initial step in fertilization. The anti-fertilization propensity of glycodelin-A during the luteal phase of the cycle is highly glycosylation-dependent, and there is an intricate functional interplay between spermatozoa, zona pellucida and the various glycodelin isoforms present in the uterine fluid, seminal plasma and follicular fluid, respectively. Endometrial glycodelin synthesis can be induced during the fertile window by administration of progestagens, such as in levonorgestrel hormone-releasing IUD and contraceptive implants. Glycodelin can be chemically modified in such a fashion that it blocks the binding site on CD4 for the HIV surface glycoprotein, synthesis of viral gp 120, and infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells by the primary HIV isolate THA/93/051, thus potentially inhibiting HIV transmission. Now that a cell line producing the contraceptive isoform has been identified by recombinant technology, these findings may have application for locally applied antiviral contraception. Glycodelin also has immunosuppressive properties, suggesting that the recognition mechanisms in immune and reproductive systems may have converged. Given its inhibitory activity on natural killer cells, abundant at the fetomaternal interphase, the high glycodelin concentration at the same site suggests a role in fetomaternal defense mechanisms. This may be relevant in women with recurrent miscarriage, in whom both the serum and uterine fluid glycodelin concentrations are decreased. Experiments on cancer cell lines have demonstrated increased epithelial differentiation by glycodelin cDNA transfection, and also by co-culture of cancer cells with normal stromal cells in the presence of basement membrane components. Both approaches result in glycodelin expression concomitant with decreased cell proliferation and reversion of the malignant phenotype. These results suggest an active role of normal stromal cells, basement membrane components and glycodelin in epithelial differentiation and glandular morphogenesis. This disposition of glycodelin is significant in patients with certain carcinomas, in which glycodelin-expressing tumors carry better prognosis than glycodelin-negative tumors of the same clinical stage and histological grade. Research on functional glycomics continues to produce significant information on fundamental aspects of fertilization, implantation, pregnancy and cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Ethical constraints limit the ability to study peri-implantation phase human endometrium. In this study, the donor oocyte model was used to study candidate endometrial markers of uterine receptivity.Methods: Archived, paraffin-embedded tissue obtained by endometrial biopsy during cycle days 21-23 of patients undergoing 'mock' hormonal treatment cycles were evaluated by standard histological criteria and immunohistochemical staining for alpha v beta 3 integrin and glycodelin. All of these patients (n = 101) had undergone a donor oocyte embryo transfer cycle utilizing the exact same hormonal protocol.Results: Histological evaluation revealed 62 (61.3%) in-phase, 34 (33.7%) dyssynchronous, 2 (2.0%) immature and 3 (3.0%) advanced endometria. The clinical outcomes of patients with either in-phase or dyssynchronous endometria were similar. Very strong correlations were noted between endometrial glandular dating and either alpha v beta 3 integrin or glycodelin immunostaining intensity (P < 0.001 for both). Glycodelin and alpha v beta 3 integrin immunostaining intensities were also highly correlated with each other (P < 0.001).Conclusions: Throughout the time period corresponding to the putative window of maximal endometrial receptivity (cycle days 21-23) a dynamic process was observed in exogenous hormonal replacement cycles characterized by a rapid histological advancement of endometrial glandular elements as well as progressive alpha v beta 3 integrin and glycodelin expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1959 and 1968 a cervical cerclage operation was performed 163 times in 159 women because of assumed cervical incompetence. The operation was carried out during pregnancy 156 times, and 3 times in a nonpregnant patient. 4 women had two operations during the same pregnancy. The operations represent 1 in 404 deliveries at the hospital during the study period. The diagnosis of cervical incompetence was based on the history of previous pregnancies in 99 cases (79%). The finding of a short and open cervix was made 85 times (68%), and the diagnosis was supported by the hystero-graphic findings in 11 cases (9%). The average duration of gestation at the time of operation was 14 weeks, and the average total duration of the pregnancies was 35 weeks. The previous foetal salvage rate was 30.8%, and the final success rate 83.2%. The comparable rates for normal deliveries without cervical cerclage at the same clinic were 74.7% and 97.1%, respectively. The abortion rate in the series after treatment was 13.6%. Premature deliveries with loss of the child occurred 4 times, leading to a perinatal mortality rate of 3.2%. Breech presentation was found 10 times (6.3%). Caesarean section was undertaken 23 times (18%) in 21 patients. The ratio of the final success rate and the previous foetal salvage rate (foetal salvage ratio) in the whole series was 2.7, and in the randomly selected cases 1.3. This ratio was the highest (3.8) between 26 and 30 years, and when the operation was performed between the 16th and the 19th weeks of pregnancy (3.3). The minimum benefit rate of the operation was 30% [80.2-30.8 - (97.1-74.7)]%. This rate is little affected by unnecessary operations, while difference between the foetal salvage ratios in the operation and the control materials is greatly affected by them. This difference was 1.4 (2.7-1.3) in this material. The differences in abortion rates, laws and standards of obstetric care lead to differences in the materials. Therefore the following criteria are suggested to be included in the reports concerning cervical cerclage operations: Number of operations per number of deliveries in the study period, Final success rate of the series, Previous foetal salvage rate, Foetal salvage ratio (the ratio of no. 2 and no. 3), Final success rate and previous foetal salvage rate among the mothers without a cervical suture in the same hospital at the same study period, Foetal salvage ratio from no. 5, Difference between foetal salvage ratios in the operation and the control groups, Minimum benefit rate in the operation material [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent findings on large nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from permafrost peatlands have shown that tundra soils can support high N2O release, which is on the contrary to what was thought previously. However, field data on this topic have been very limited, and the spatial and temporal extent of the phenomenon has not been known. To address this question, we studied N2O dynamics in two types of subarctic permafrost peatlands, a peat plateau in Russia and three palsa mires in Finland, including also adjacent upland soils. The peatlands studied have surfaces that are uplifted by frost (palsas and peat plateaus) and partly unvegetated as a result of wind erosion and frost action. Unvegetated peat surfaces with high N2O emissions were found from all the studied peatlands. Very high N2O emissions were measured from peat circles at the Russian site (1.40 ± 0.15 gN2Om-2 yr-1). Elevated, sparsely vegetated peat mounds at the same site had significantly lower N2O release. The N2O emissions from bare palsa surfaces in Northern Finland were highly variable but reached high rates, similar to those measured from the peat circles. All the vegetated soils studied had negligible N2O release. At the bare peat surfaces, the large N2O emissions were supported by the absence of plant N uptake, the low C:N ratio of the peat, the relatively high gross N mineralization rate and favourable moisture content, together increasing availability of mineral N for N2O production.We hypothesize that frost heave is crucial for high N2O emissions, since it lifts the peat above the water table, increasing oxygen availability and making it vulnerable to the the physical processes that may remove the vegetation cover. In the future, permafrost thawing may change the distribution of wet and dry surfaces in permafrost peatlands, which will affect N2O emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder of pregnancy. Patients with GDM are at risk for high fetal mortality and gestational complications associated with reduced immune tolerance and abnormal carbohydrate metabolism. Glycodelin-A (GdA) is an abundant decidual glycoprotein with glycosylation-dependent immunomodulatory activities. We hypothesized that aberrant carbohydrate metabolism in GDM was associated with changes in glycosylation of GdA, leading to defective immunomodulatory activities.Research Design and Methods: GdA in the amniotic fluid from women with normal (NGdA) and GDM (DGdA) pregnancies was purified by affinity chromatography. Structural analysis of protein glycosylation was preformed by lectin-binding assay and mass spectrometry. Cytotoxicity, cell death, cytokine secretion, and GdA binding of the GdA-treated lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells were determined. The sialidase activity in the placental tissue from normal and GDM patients was measured.Results: GDM affected the glycosylation but not the protein core of GdA. Specifically, DGdA had a lower abundance of α2-6-sialylated and high-mannose glycans and a higher abundance of glycans with Sda (NeuAcα2-3[GalNAcβ1-4]Gal) epitopes compared with NGdA. DGdA had reduced immuosuppressive activities in terms of cytotoxicity on lymphocytes, inhibitory activities on interleukin (IL)-2 secretion by lymphocytes, stimulatory activities on IL-6 secretion by NK cells, and binding to these cells. Desialylation abolished the immunomodulation and binding of NGdA. Placental sialidase activity was increased in GDM patients, which may account for the reduced sialic acid content of DGdA.Conclusions: Taken together, this study provides the first direct evidence for altered enzymatic glycosylation and impaired bioactivity of GdA in GDM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A regional geomorphological study is presented of the southern and eastern coast of Lake Fagnano, one of the most extensive glacial areas of Tierra del Fuego Island, at the southernmost tip of South America. A palaeoglacial reconstruction is made, based on the location of erosional and depositional glacial landforms. The outlet glacier flowing eastwards from the Darwin Cordillera (Fuegian Andes, Chile) had more than 50 tributary glaciers. An alpine-type landscape, including arêtes, cirques, truncated spurs and hanging valleys developed in the western region of the present lake, whereas a piedmont-type landscape including lateral moraines, glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine terraces and an ice-disintegration landscape developed in the eastern region. The glacier spread over the low ranges and lowlands through three different lobes, and was drained by four main outwash basins, directly into the Atlantic Ocean. The ice-covered area is estimated at 4000 km2; the maximum length of the main lobe at 132 km, and the general slope at 8°. Four terminal positions of the glacier were recognized and related to the Inútil Bay and Beagle Channel glacial areas, located to the north and south, respectively. 14C dates from basal peats show that most of the area, especially the easternmost part and the southern coast, were free of ice by 12,300 years B.P. Fossil peat contained in the lower basal till deposits yield 14C dates of 31,000–48,200 years B.P., indicating that a glacial advance occurred in the area prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (ca. 25,000–23,000 cal. years B.P.). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objective of this research was to evaluate the biogas production from crops in boreal conditions, focusing on the optimal pre-treatment and storage methods, co-digestion and energy balance of farm-scale crop based biogas plants. Alkaline treatments offered some potential for improving the methane yield from grass and sugar beet tops. The results show that the CH4 yield of energy crops can be maintained by appropriate ensiling conditions for even after 11 months in ambient conditions. The CH4 yield was best preserved with wet grass mixture without additives. Co-digestion of manure and crops was shown to be feasible with feedstock volatile solids (VS) containing up to 40% of crops. The highest specific methane yields of 268, 229 and 213 lCH4 kg-1 VSadded in co-digestion of cow manure with grass, sugar beet tops and straw, respectively, were obtained during feeding with 30% of crop in the feedstock, corresponding to 85-105% of the total methane potential in the substrates as determined by batch assays. The energy output:input ratio of farm-scale grass silage based biogas plant varied significantly (3.5-8.2) with different assumptions and system boundaries being lowest when using only inorganic fertilizers and highest when half of the heat demand of the system could be covered by metabolic heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulation of epithelial cell function and morphogenesis by the paracrine effectors from the mesenchyme or stroma has been well established using in-vivo studies. A more complete understanding of these relationships has been delayed due, in part, to a lack of appropriate co-culture models. In this study, we describe a co-culture model which demonstrates that normal paracrine relationships can be reconstituted in vitro and that human endometrial stromal cells regulate both growth and differentiation of primary human endometrial epithelial cells. Interesting differences in the proliferation of stromal and epithelial cells were noted in response to the basement membrane extract, Matrigel((R)). Exposure of stromal cells to Matrigel((R)) enhanced the paracrine capacity of these cells in vitro. When epithelial cells were co-cultured in contact with stromal cells embedded in Matrigel((R)), epithelial cell growth was inhibited by 65-80% compared to controls. Stromal cells in contact with Matrigel((R)) also regulated epithelial cell differentiation, as shown by induction of glycodelin expression. These co-culture studies show great promise as a method to investigate the cellular interactions between endometrial stromal and epithelial cells and their environment and to understand the molecular basis for the regulation of normal growth and differentiation of cells within complex tissues such as the endometrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study was designed to determine whether treatment with the Yuzpe regimen of emergency contraception altered endometrial integrin expression or other markers of uterine receptivity. Nineteen parous women were followed for two menstrual cycles. In the second cycle, each participant took 100 mg ethinyl oestradiol and 1 mg norgestrel on the day of the urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) surge and repeated the dose 12 h later. In both cycles, endometrial biopsy, phlebotomy and vaginal sonogram were performed 8-10 days after the urinary LH surge. No significant difference was found between untreated and treated cycles in most measures of endometrial histology or in endometrial expression of beta3 integrin subunit, leukaemia inhibitory factor, glycodelin, or progesterone receptors assessed by immunohistochemical techniques. Five statistically significant changes were noted in treated cycles: a reduction in endometrial MUC-1 expression, an increase in endometrial oestrogen receptor, lower luteal phase serum oestrogen concentration, reduced endometrial thickness, and greater proportion of glandular supranuclear vacuoles. The relationship of these findings to the contraceptive action of the Yuzpe regimen is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peat deposits of area up to 50 m 2 and thickness of 10–50 cm on fell summits at 370–622 m a.s.l. in northern Finland have been mapped, analysed and dated. These summit ‘peat cakes’ are most frequent in northwestern Inari Lapland, in a relatively continental climate and close to the Arctic Ocean. It seems that the most important local factor for their development are irregularities in microtopography, which collect drift snow and shelter plants from destructive winds. Most sites are dominated by Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum. Accumulation of peat started after the Atlantic period c. 4000 14 C years BP, when the climate became more humid. The mean annual growth of seven investigated deposits ranged from 0.11 to 0.44 mm yr -1 . Plant macroremains at Kuovdaoaivi provide evidence of gradual vegetation development from an Empetrum-dominated community to a more diverse one: macro-remain concentration and the number of species rise gradually to the top of the deposit. At present, summit peats are being eroded by deflation, enhanced by needle ice and reindeer overgrazing. It seems that these peat deposits represent embryonic blanket mires at the continental limit of high-latitude blanket mire distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present two-year longitudinal investigation, the progresson of periodontal disease was assessed after 1 year from the baseline examination in 38 dentate subjects and after 2 years in 22 dentate subjects with a mean duration of 18 yers of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The diabetics, aged 35 to 56 years at baseline, were under medical treatment at the ooutpatient clinic of the III Department of Medicine, University Central hospital of Helsinki and at 2 diabetic clinics of the Helsinki Health Center. Based Upon their long-term medical records, 26 subjects were at baseline identified as having poorly controlled insulindepedent diabetes (PIDD) with a mean blood glucose level of 12.5 mmol/1 and a mean glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1) level of 10.1% 12 subjects were classified as having controlled insulin-dependent diabetes (CIDD) with a mean blood glucose level of 6.7 mmol/1 and a mean HBA1 level of 9.2% at baseline. For each individual, recordings were made at baseline and after 1 and 2 years from the baseline for the plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth, loss of attachment, bleeding after probing, gingival recession, and radiographic loss of alveolar bone. At baseline and 2 year after the baseline examination, the PIDD subjects had similar plaque conditions as the CIDD subjects. At baseline and after 1 and 2 years from baseline the PIDD subjects had more gingivitis and bleeding after probing (p&lt0.05, χ2-test) than the CIDD subjects. Both at baseline and at the 1-year and 2-year examination, the long-term PIDD subjects had lost more tooth attachment and approximal bone than the corresponding CIDD subjects (p<0.01, χ2-test). At all 3 examinations, the PIDD subjects also exhibited more gingival recession than the CIDD subjects (p<0.05, χ2-test) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the effect of bromocriptine on dystonic-athetoid dyskinesias in mentally retarded patients. Severe extrapyramidal dyskinesias of mentally retarded patients interfere with their proper treatment and rehabilitation. However, in many cases dystonic-athetoid symptoms cannot be alleviated by some drugs. Neurosurgical stereotoxic procedures may be of help in some cases, but their effect is usually temporary, and they cannot be applied to all patients. Bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist, has been found effective in the treatment of some extra pyramidal disorders.