W values and other transport data on low energy electrons in tissue equivalent gas.

The degradation of low energy electrons in a methane based, tissue equivalent gas was studied experimentally by ionization chamber experiments and theoretically by Monte Carlo electron transport simulation in the energy range between 25 eV and 5 keV. From measured ionization yields and calculated ionization and energy dissipation profiles, the mean energy W required to produce an ion pair, the differential omega value, backscatter coefficients, different types of mass ranges, and stopping powers were determined. A comparison of our experimental results with those of the calculations shows a very satisfactory agreement in the whole energy range. In addition to these data some quantities of interest in the fields of radiation biology and microdosimetry, such as the statistical fluctuation of ionization yields, the energy transfer to and the ionization yields in thin material layers of the tissue equivalent gas, together with the distance distribution of energy transfer and the dose average of the specific energy, have been studied. A comparison of these results with those for electrons in water showed the great similarity of both stopping media for many purposes in the fields of radiation research.

Immunoreactive insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in the culture of human luteinized granulosa cells.

Granulosa cells from human preovulatory follicles were cultured under serum-free conditions to investigate the presence of immunoreactive insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). IGFBP-3 levels were measured by a radioimmunoassay developed against the acid-stable subunit of the protein. The antiserum had no cross-reactivity to the low molecular weight GH-independent IGFBP-1. Granulosa luteal cells exhibited a continuous release of IGFBP-3 into the culture medium during the whole time (6 days) of the incubation. A dose-dependent increase in IGFBP-3 was observed when the cells were treated by dibutyryl cAMP. Cycloheximide suppressed almost completely both the basal and the stimulated production of IGFBP-3. The smallest effective dose of dibutyryl cAMP enhancing the progesterone release was lower than that for IGFBP-3. The different time course of IGFBP-3 and progesterone secretion to dibutyryl cAMP treatment, as well as the failure of progesterone to elicit IGFBP-3 increase alone, do not support the participation of progesterone in the IGFBP-3 production of granulosa cells. It is concluded that 1. immunoreactive IGFBP-3 is produced by cultured granulosa luteal cells; 2. its synthesis is regulated by physiological intracellular mechanisms.

Insulin-like growth factors and their binding proteins in human follicular fluid.

Increasing evidence suggests that insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I, IGF-II) have a regulatory role in animal granulosa cells. This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of IGF-I and IGF-II, as well as that of their binding proteins (BP), IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 in human serum and follicular fluid (FF). Preovulatory FF was obtained from 51 patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization. The IGFBP-1 level was found to be significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in FF than in serum, whereas IGF-I and IGFBP-3 values remained markedly lower (P less than 0.01) in FF. Serum IGF-II levels were slightly but not significantly elevated compared to values obtained in the FF of patients. A positive correlation (P less than 0.001) between individual serum and FF levels was observed only for IGF-I. When a group of poor responders was compared to patients with normal stimulation characteristics, no significant difference was found in either IGF or IGFBP levels in the FF. It is concluded that IGFBP-1 is produced locally, whereas the serum may possibly be the major source of IGF-I. No clear conclusions can be drawn regarding the source of FF IGF-II and IGFBP-3. Neither the absolute level nor the relationship of IGFs to their transport proteins could explain the poor response to ovarian stimulation.

Stopping power and ranges of low-energy protons in tissue-equivalent gas.

Stopping power data for protons in tissue-equivalent gas (64.4% CH4 + 32.4% CO2 + 3.2% N2, partial pressures) were derived from experimentally determined ranges and from differential ionisation distributions using the differential energy required per ion pair formed to convert ionisation to energy loss. The proton energy covered the region from 1 to 100 keV. The results are compared with other data available. In general the present experimental stopping power data tend to higher values than calculated data for energies lower than 20 keV; between 20 and 100 keV they agree well within the stated uncertainties.