ABSTRACT
Human genital skin fibroblasts show the androgen receptor (AR) as bright red granules (0.5 micron in diameter) after treatment with one (of 3) primary polyclonal antibody and a secondary antibody linked to alkaline phosphatase. Almost all AR were cytoplasmic in 12 normal strains and in 8 strains from patients with partial (PAIS) and 6 with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS). When 25.8 nM 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or methyltrienolone was added to the medium, some AR were translocated into the nucleus in 13 experiments with 8 strains of normal fibroblasts; of 8 strains of patients with PAIS 3 failed to translocate to a detectable extent in the presence of androgen in the medium and none of the 6 strains from patients with CAIS translocated.
Subject(s)
Androgens/metabolism , Endocrine System Diseases/metabolism , Receptors, Androgen/metabolism , Skin/metabolism , Androgens/pharmacology , Androgens/physiology , Avidin , Cells, Cultured , Culture Media , Female , Fibroblasts/metabolism , Fibroblasts/ultrastructure , Humans , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism , Skin/cytologyABSTRACT
We assayed serum folate levels of 60 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and found that 50% had values below 3.0 micrograms/l. Some patients with CFS are deficient in folic acid.
Subject(s)
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/blood , Folic Acid/blood , Adolescent , Adult , Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/complications , Female , Folic Acid Deficiency/blood , Folic Acid Deficiency/complications , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
In order to determine if the Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is associated with a shortage of pulmonary surfactant, we have examined a series of 155 undiluted tracheal aspirates obtained from 23 patients with ARDS and from 30 patients without ARDS, all 53 needing ventilatory support. The unfixed and unstained specimens were examined by polarized light microscopy for the presence of pulmonary surfactant. Free surfactant particles were present in the aspirates of 50 patients (95%). Within minutes of obtaining the specimen, in addition to showing surfactant, the examination of these undiluted, unfixed tracheal aspirates by light microscopy showed the presence of bacterial and fungal infection. As fibrinogen/fibrin inactivates surfactant, the undiluted aspirates of 21 patients with ARDS and of 30 patients without ARDS were stained for the presence of these proteins by a new slide method using 0.01 ml of tracheal aspirate. Fibrinogen/fibrin was found in the aspirates from 20 of 21 patients with ARDS and in only five of 30 patients without ARDS; these five had bronchopneumonia. The method has a sensitivity of 0.95 and a specificity of 0.83. The role of plasma proteins and of neutrophil leucocytes in causing ARDS is discussed.
Subject(s)
Pulmonary Surfactants/biosynthesis , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/etiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Colony Count, Microbial , Female , Fibrin/analysis , Fibrinogen/analysis , Humans , Leukocyte Count , Male , Middle Aged , Pulmonary Surfactants/chemistryABSTRACT
The concentration of serum folate in 260 patients with viral and mycoplasmal infections was determined (305 samples). In 60% the serum folate concentrations were found to be below 3 micrograms/l. The incidence of low serum folate varied slightly. According to the infections diagnosed, low values were: for influenza A 50% (50 patients), influenza B 42% (45 patients), human parvovirus 67% (76 patients), rubella 62% (13 patients), infectious mononucleosis 60% (15 patients), Mycoplasma pneumoniae 73% (45 patients). For a group of undiagnosed rashes it was 81% (16 patients). The cause of low concentrations of serum folate in these patients is discussed.