A simple screening approach for assessing community prevalence and phenotype of polycystic ovary syndrome in a semi-urban population in Sri Lanka.

In most of South Asia, prevalences and phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among women in the community are unknown. The authors aimed to estimate prevalence and phenotype in a community setting in Sri Lanka and to test a valid, feasible screening approach to early diagnosis. A community-based, cross-sectional study was carried out in 2005-2006. A random sample of 3,030 women aged 15-39 years was selected by cluster sampling proportionate to population size. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was utilized to screen for "probable cases" of PCOS based on menstrual history and clinical manifestations of hyperandrogenism. Selected "probable cases" underwent clinical, biochemical, and ovarian ultrasound assessment. The response rate was 96.2% (n = 2,915). A total of 220 (7.5%) "probable cases" were identified: 209 women with oligo/amenorrhea (95%) and 11 women with hirsutism (5%). Further evaluation of the 220 probable cases confirmed 164 newly diagnosed cases of PCOS based on the 2003 Rotterdam diagnostic criteria. With 19 previously diagnosed cases already present, total prevalence was 6.3% (95% confidence interval: 5.9, 6.8). Of the women with "oligo/amenorrhea and/or hirsutism," 91.1% were confirmed to have PCOS; 99.4% of women with "regular cycles in the absence of clinical hyperandrogenism" were confirmed as normal. The most common phenotypes of PCOS were oligo/amenorrhea and polycystic ovaries (91.4%) and oligo/amenorrhea and hirsutism (48.3%).

Effects of Cassia auriculata and Cardospermum halicacabum teas on the steady state blood levels of theophylline in rats.

The effects of concurrent administration of herbal tea prepared from dried flowers of Cassia auriculata or aerial parts of Cardospermum halicacabum and steady state serum levels of theophylline was investigated in Wistar rats. Results obtained demonstrate that a significant increase in the steady state levels of theophylline occur when this drug is administered concurrently with herbal tea prepared from either of the above plants. C. auriculata and C. halicacabum enhanced the steady state levels of theophylline by 32.5% (p < 0.02) and 48.2% (p < 0.02), respectively, when compared with the levels in animals receiving theophylline alone for the same time period. Herbal teas prepared from C. auriculata or C. halicacabum should therefore be avoided by patients treated with theophylline as these herbal teas have the potential to influence the bioavailability of the prescription drug.

Immunoassays for des-Arg9-bradykinin.

Splenocytes from a female, BALB/c mouse immunized with bradykinin conjugated to ovalbumin with toluene diisocyanate were fused with mouse myeloma cells, X63/Ag8.653, using polyethylene glycol. Seventy-nine hybridomas were identified by ELISA to be making kinin reactive antibodies. In preliminary specificity studies it was determined that all of these hybridomas were producing antibodies more reactive with des-Arg9-bradykinin than with bradykinin. ELISAs were developed with the five clones that displayed the highest affinities for des-Arg9-bradykinin. Radioimmunoassays were developed for 3 of these 5 clones as well as with 5 monoclonal antibodies previously described (Odya and Lee 1990). The most sensitive des-Arg9-bradykinin assay developed was a radioimmunoassay in which carboxypeptidase B-treated [Tyr5]-bradykinin was the labeled antigen, clone OLNBK-5 was the antibody, and dextran-coated charcoal was used to separate bound from free radioactivity. The concentration of des-Arg9-bradykinin that inhibited 50% of the radioactive peptide binding was 0.08 +/- 0.03 nM. The relative specificity of this assay (des-Arg9-bradykinin = 100%) was: 29% bradykinin and about 1% with each of the following: lysyl-bradykinin, methionyl-lysyl-bradykinin, des-Arg1-bradykinin and des-Phe8-Arg9-bradykinin.

Elicitation and immunological characterization of monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies reactive with the ligand binding sites of monoclonal kinin antibodies.

Ten monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies (mAB2s) were obtained from fusions of myeloma cells, X63/Ag8.653, and splenocytes from mice immunized with one of two monoclonal kinin antibodies (mAB1s). The interactions of these mAB2s, with four different mAB1s, which have similar kinin binding specificities, was examined. Five of the ten mAB2s cross-reacted with similar affinities, with all four mAB1s. In addition, these five mAB2s were able to inhibit biotinylated-kallidin binding to the mAB1s. This indicated that these mAB2s interact with the mAB1s at, or near, their ligand binding sites. These immunological results are consistent with these five mAB2s being "internal image" beta type anti-idiotypic antibodies.

Monoclonal ligand binding site related anti-idiotypic antibodies elicited with a polyclonal kinin antibody.

Splenocytes from mice immunized with homogenous, polyclonal, rabbit kinin antibody (BK21) were fused using polyethylene glycol with the mouse myeloma cell line SP2/o. Eleven monoclonal antibodies, whose binding to BK21 could be inhibited by bradykinin, were obtained from 3 fusions. All of these anti-idiotypic antibodies were of the IgG1k isotype, except for one, which was an IgG2ak. An IgMk, auto-anti-idiotypic antibody, reactive with BK21 was obtained from a fusion of SP2/o cells and splenocytes from a mouse immunized with bradykinin conjugated with carbodiimide to keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Bradykinin could completely inhibit the binding of all of the anti-idiotypic antibodies to BK21 in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This result is consistent with the anti-idiotypic antibodies being reactive with the ligand binding sites of BK21. It was possible to separate the anti-idiotypic antibodies into 2 groups. The first group, 10 of the 12 antibodies tested, was more sensitive to inhibition by bradykinin than the second group and was not readily inhibited by des-Arg9-bradykinin. The second group was about 7 times more sensitive to inhibition by des-Arg9-bradykinin than by bradykinin. Further experiments will be needed to determine whether or not these monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies are "internal image" antibodies.