[Relaxin in amniotic fluid and serum of pregnant patients]. / Relaxin im Fruchtwasser und Serum von Schwangeren.

Relaxin was measured in serum and amniotic fluid of 136 pregnant women between the 12th and 38th gestational week by means of a new human relaxin-RIA. The pregnancies consisted of 111 pathology-free single fetuses, 10 with rhesus incompatibility, 7 with chromosomal aberration and 8 with sonographic diagnosed abnormalities. Relaxin could be detected in all samples tested the levels being ten times lower in amniotic fluid compared to serum. Serum relaxin levels showed a slight but not statistically significant decrease with increasing gestational age, in amniotic fluid relaxin values were consistent over the course of pregnancy. The ratio of amniotic fluid to serum relaxin displayed a statistically significant increase from the 12th to 23rd week of pregnancy. Individual courses of relaxin concentration in amniotic fluid revealed only low intra-individual variations but distinct inter-individual differences.

Multiple (up to seven) different accessory small marker chromosomes: prenatal diagnosis and follow-up.

We report on the prenatal discovery of 3 up to 7 accessory small marker chromosomes per cell with postnatal confirmation in various tissues. By FISH it could be shown that every marker had a different origin.

Difficulties in the antenatal assessment of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.

In this paper we present a patient with an initially questionable history of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAT) due to materno-fetal HPA-1a (PLA1) incompatibility. No circulating antibodies were detectable in untreated maternal serum, but an adsorption/elution technique enabled the demonstration of the platelet-specific anti-HPA-1a (anti-PLA1) in maternal serum. Cordocentesis at 35 weeks of gestation revealed a fetal platelet count of 18 x 10(9)/l. Intrauterine platelet transfusion with HPA-1a (PLA1)-negative donor platelets was performed prior to cesarean section.

[Attitude of patients to chorionic villi biopsy: motivation for the decision and perception]. / Einstellung von Patientinnen zur Chorionzottenbiopsie: Entscheidungsmotivation und Empfinden.

56 patients with CVS were asked with a standardized questionnaire why they decided to undergo that surgical procedure and how they felt about it. 52 patients said, that their main motivation for CVS was the early diagnosis of a healthy baby. The low health risk of an early performed abruption in case of fetal abnormalities played a secondary role. Concerning the severity of that surgical procedure 44 patients thought, that it was harmless or tolerable and no woman had the feeling that CVS is a fearful intervention. 76% said, that CVS was not painful or only a little bit, 2 patients had the feeling of a painful surgical procedure. The most disagreeable moment during CVS was the hooking of the cervix. There were different opinions comparing CVS stress to amniocentesis stress in patients with a preceding amniocentesis.

Probe-guided chorionic villus sampling. Report of a new technique.

This paper reports a new technique of chorionic villus sampling. A new probe has been developed to allow easier passage and manipulation of the catheter and improve visualization by ultrasound. Our initial experience with this new probe-guided sampling device indicates that it simplifies the operation, and this could improve the success rate.

[Deformed ear after chorionic villi biopsy. Is there a causal relationship?]. / Ohrmissbildung nach Chorionzottenbiopsie. Besteht ein kausaler Zusammenhang?

A case of a deformed ear following chorion villus sampling is described. The possibility of a relation between the described malformation and other malformations following chorion villus sampling is discussed.

Smoking influences the atherogenic potential of low-density lipoprotein.

The possible influence of smoking on the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and its biological activity was investigated. Plasma LDL was prepared from healthy male smokers and nonsmokers, and oxidized with Cu (II) as prooxidant. Oxidized LDL from smokers generated significantly more lipid peroxidation products, so-called thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), when compared to oxidized nonsmoker LDL. Analysis of vitamin E levels in LDL obtained from both smokers and nonsmokers revealed that the vitamin E content of smoker LDL was significantly less than that of nonsmoker LDL. The amounts of cholesteryl esters formed in cultured P388. D.1 macrophages were greater in the presence of smoker LDL than with nonsmoker LDL. The data suggest that some of the proatherogenic effects of smoking may be related to oxidative modification of LDL and alteration of its biological activity.

Removal of endothelial function in coronary resistance vessels by saponin.

Studies of the role of the endothelium in coronary resistance vessels are limited to investigations of endothelium-derived relaxing factor mediated effects using various blocking agents. Endothelium removal as an alternative approach, is restricted to larger epicardial vessels. This study demonstrates the effect of endothelial damage by saponin on coronary resistance vessels remaining intact within the heart. In an isolated perfused guinea pig heart a saponin-containing solution (50 micrograms/ml) was infused over 2 min to damage specifically the endothelium. Increases of coronary flow in response to carbachol, histamine, and serotonin were completely blocked and reversed to decreases. Angiotensin-I-induced vasoconstriction was attenuated, whereas angiotensin-II-induced vasoconstriction remained unchanged. Vasodilatory response to sodium-nitroprusside was not attenuated by saponin-treatment. In contrast inhibition of endothelium derived relaxing factor by gossypol inhibited carbachol-induced vasodilation but did not result in vasoconstriction. Electron microscopic examination ensured that while the endothelium was destroyed by saponin-treatment the vascular smooth muscle was left intact. Our data indicate a regulating influence of the vascular endothelium on coronary resistance vessels which can be totally eliminated by saponin-treatment.

Phenolic metabolites of chlorprothixene in man and dog.

From urine and feces of dogs and urine of patients given chlorprothixene (CPT) per os, metabolites were extracted without or with enzymatic deconjugation and separated by repeated TLC. Purified compounds were characterized by UV, NMR, and mass spectrometry, by color reactions, and by chemical interconversions. Both species excreted 6- and 7-hydroxy-CPT besides the sulfoxide and demethylated analogues. In urine, the phenols were largely present as conjugates. The major metabolites in dog feces were 5-hydroxy-CPT and its demethylated derivative, whereas 5-hydroxylation was not detected in man. Dog excrete also contained 6-hydroxy-7-methoxy (or 7-hydroxy-6-methoxy)-CPT; further, a 5-hydroxy compound was detected in which the exocyclic double bond was hydrated. In the other metabolites, the Z-configuration of CPT had been retained, but small quantities of E-isomers were formed during isolation. According to preliminary quantitative data, phenols accounted for a small part of extractable metabolites in human urine, whereas they predominated in dog feces.

[Biosynthesis of glutathione. VI. Ocurrence and level of gamma-glutamylcysteine in human red cells (author's transl)]. / Glutathionbiosynthese, VI. Der gamma-Glutamylcystein-Spiegel in menschlichen Erythrozyten

The concentration of the glutathione precursor gamma-glutamylcysteine in hemolysates of human red cells was determined using three different methods. a) The [14C]N-ethylmaleimide derivatives of the intracellular sulfhydryl compounds were separated on a cation exchange column. The amount of [14C]N-ethylmaleimide glutamycysteine was radiochemically determined. b) With purified glutathione synthetase, an enzymatic endpoint metabolite determination was performed with [14C]glycine as one substrate. The amount of labelled glutathione formed from the gamma-glutamylcysteine present was measured radiochemically.