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Serum leptin in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome is correlated with body weight and fat distribution but not with androgen and insulin levels.

Leptin is a hormone produced in the adipose tissue and its concentrations in peripheral blood are significantly correlated with the amount of body fat. Whether other factors, including the pattern of body fat distribution and several hormones (such as insulin, sex steroids, and glucocorticoids), may be involved in the regulation of circulating blood leptin levels is controversial. Women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are hyperandrogenic and most of them are characterized by hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and obesity, particularly the visceral phenotype. To assess the potential contribution of anthropometric factors, androgens, and insulin in determining leptin levels, we examined their relationship with body-mass index (BMI), visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue areas, basal androgen levels, and fasting and glucose-stimulated (AUC) insulin in different groups of obese women with PCOS (n = 23) and of age-matched obese (n = 16) and non-obese (n = 10) otherwise healthy controls. The VAT/SAT ratio was measured as a parameter of body fat distribution. Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in obese PCOS women than in obese and normal-weight healthy controls and, within the controls, in the obese than in the non-obese group. In all women considered together, and in each group separately, leptin concentrations were highly significantly correlated with BMI. In addition, after adjusting for BMI, both VAT and the VAT/SAT ratio were positively and significantly correlated with leptin. Partial correlations with the VAT/SAT ratio remained significant in both the obese PCOS group and in controls considered separately, whereas the correlation with the SAT value was significant only in the control group. After adjusting for BMI, no correlation between leptin, androgens and fasting or stimulated (like AUC) insulin was found. These findings indicate that leptin levels in obese women with PCOS are higher than those observed in obese and non-obese controls. Moreover, they suggest that, other than BMI, the pattern of body fat distribution may be an independent factor related to circulating leptin levels, which, on the contrary, do not appear to be related to either androgen or insulin concentrations.

Adipose Tissue↗

Correlation analyses on binding behavior of heavy metals with sediment matrices.

This article presents the amounts of heavy metals bound to the sediment matrices (carbonates, Fe-oxides, Mn-oxides, and organic matter), the correlations between any two heavy-metal binding fractions, and the correlations between sediment matrices and their heavy-metal binding fractions. Data consisted of 313 sets obtained from five main rivers (located in southern Taiwan) were analyzed by statistical methods. Among six heavy metals analyzed (Zn, Cu. Pb, Ni, Cr, and Co), the statistical results show that Zn is primarily bound to organic matter, and Cr is primarily bound to Fe-oxides. Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis (CA) result in significant correlations between carbonates bound Ni and carbonates bound Cr, Fe-oxides bound Ni and Fe-oxides bound Cr, and Mn-oxides bound Cu and Mn-oxides bound Cr. From linear regression results, the levels of the six heavy metals bound to either organic matter or Fe-oxides is moderately dependent on the contents of organic matter or Fe-oxides, especially true for Cr and Pb. According to slope values of linear regression, Cu and Cr have the highest specific binding amounts (SBA) to organic matter and Fe-oxides, respectively. A significant correlation between organic matter and organically bound heavy metals implied that organic matter contained in the sediments of the Potzu river and the Yenshui river can be adequately used as a normalizing agent. However, the six heavy metals bound to either carbonates or Mn-oxides do not correlate with carbonates or Mn-oxides. The obtained results also imply that competitions of various sediment phases in association with heavy metals occur, and organic matter and Fe-oxides are more accessible to heavy metals than other sediment phases.

Binding Sites↗

Persistent organochlorine pollutants in human serum of 50-65 years old women in the Flanders Environmental and Health Study (FLEHS). Part 2: Correlations among PCBs, PCDD/PCDFs and the use of predictive markers.

In 1999, the FLEHS was set by the Flemish Ministry of Health, Belgium to assess pollutant concentrations and related health effect biomarkers in humans living in Flanders. Concentrations of selected organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and furans (PCDF) were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Chemical-Activated LUciferase gene eXpression (CALUX) bioassay in 47 serum pools of 200 women between 50 and 65 years living in two areas of Flanders. Correlation between TEQ values of different groups of compounds were computed in these pool results and it was found that total toxic equivalencies (TEQs) correlated well with the values of the groups of contributing compounds: mono-ortho PCBs (r = 0.77), non-ortho PCBs (r = 0.65) and PCDD/Fs (r = 0.88). The total TEQ was lower correlated to the CALUX-TEQ (r = 0.57). When calculating associations between those classes of compounds in the two studied regions separately, they were all higher correlated in the urban area compared to the more rural region. High correlation coefficients (r > 0.80) were also calculated between individual compounds and groups of compounds. It was suggested that in this studied background-exposed population, some compounds could be good predictors for a group: e.g. PCB 153 for indicator and total PCBs, PCB 118 for total PCB TEQ, PCB 156 for mono-ortho PCB-TEQs and total TEQ, 2,3,4,7,8-P5CDF for PCDD/F TEQs and total TEQs. This means that in pooled serum samples correlations between persistent organochlorine compounds are as strong as for individual POP measurements observed in earlier studies.

Aged↗

Correlation of PCDD/PCDF and CO values in a MSW incinerator--indication of memory effects in the high temperature/cooling section.

The correlation of PCDD/PCDF levels with the CO emissions in a full-scale municipal waste incinerator was assessed during a four-week measurement effort. PCDD/PCDF concentrations in fly ashes-containing more than 99% of the total PCDD/PCDF burden of the fluidized bed incinerator (FBI)-were measured and compared with the emitted CO concentrations. The CO concentration during the sampling time showed no significant correlation to the PCDD/ PCDF amount in fly ash (R2 = 0.078). However, a comparison of the time integrated CO concentration several hours before sampling lead to a correlation with the PCDD/PCDF burden. Maximum correlation was found for the time integrated CO values of 3 and 4 h before sampling (R2 = 0.467 and R2 = 0.457 respectively). This indicates a memory effect in the high temperature cooling section of several hours. Possible mechanisms leading to the memory effect are discussed. The correlation of PCDD/PCDF with CO concentration demonstrate that the combustion conditions play an important role for PCDD/PCDF formation in FBIs. However the variability in the correlation of CO to PCDD/PCDF levels show that other factors have a significant influence on PCDD/PCDF formation.

Adsorption↗

Expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/scatter factor and its receptor c-MET correlates with poor prognosis in synovial sarcoma.

The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-MET signaling system plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of various organs. We investigated the expression of HGF and its receptor c-MET by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 69 cases of synovial sarcoma and compared the findings with clinicopathologic parameters, proliferating activities evaluated by MIB-1 labeling index (MIB-1 LI), and patients' prognosis. Furthermore, mRNA analysis of HGF, c-MET, and SYT-SSX fusion gene was performed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 22 concordant frozen materials. Twenty-one of 69 (30.4%) tumors showed positive reaction for c-MET, whereas 22 tumors (31.9%) were positive for HGF. In 10 cases, co-expression of HGF and c-MET was observed; however, there was no significant correlation between HGF and c-MET expression. HGF expression was correlated with female patients, large tumors (more than 5 cm), the presence of rhabdoid cells, low frequency of mast cells (<20/10 HPF), high nuclear grade (grade III), and high American Joint Committee (AJC) stage (III and IV). Conversely, c-MET expression was only correlated with large tumors. However, the coexpression of HGF and c-MET was significantly correlated with large tumor size, the existence of rhabdoid cells, and high AJC stage. Both the expression of HGF and the co-expression of HGF and c-MET showed a significantly high MIB-1 LI and were correlated with poor prognosis according to univariate analysis. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that high AJC stage, the expression of HGF, and a high MIB-1 LI (12.0>) independently had a negative impact on overall survival. In 22 frozen material cases evaluated by both IHC and RT-PCR, a statistically significant correlation was found between the 2 techniques. SYT-SSX fusion transcripts were detected in all 22 cases. Three tumors had SYT-SSX2 fusion transcripts, whereas 19 had SYT-SSX1 phenotype. Our results suggest that HGF/c-MET paracrine signaling may contribute to tumorigenesis and progression in synovial sarcoma.

Adult↗

Correlations between neurograms and locomotor drive potentials in motoneurons during fictive locomotion: implications for the organization of locomotor commands.

The patterns of correlation found between motoneuron pools during fictive locomotion are the same whether the coherence functions used to detect the correlations are determined using pairs of rectified ENGs or motoneuron LDPs and rectified ENGs. This finding suggests that the higher frequencies in rectified ENGs (and, perhaps, EMGs) contain information about the synaptic input to motoneurons. Nevertheless, differences between the coherence functions of rectified ENG pairs and those of LDPs and rectified ENGs suggests that this information is distorted by harmonics introduced by rectification. The activities of many motoneuron pools are correlated during the flexor or extensor phase of fictive locomotion, indicating that they receive common synaptic input from branched presynaptic axons or from pools of interneurons whose activities are synchronized. Similar findings were reported by Bayev (1978), based on temporal correlations. Our results indicate that the investigated motor nuclei, which innervate muscles with actions at the hip, knee and ankle, are subject to a set of common locomotor commands. These commands are also received by inhibitory interneurons that project to the motor nuclei of antagonists, as indicated by the correlations between the hyperpolarizing phase of LDPs and activity in the rectified ENGs of antagonists. This last result is consistent with a modular organization for the spinal locomotor generator, in which one set of interneurons drives a motor pool and the inhibitory interneurons that project to the motor pool's antagonist (Jordan, 1991). However, these results also suggest that the spinal modules for locomotion may not be separable into independent unit-burst generators that produce commands for control of each joint as Grillner (1981) has suggested. Our results are more consistent with a model in which a generator distributes flexor and extensor commands to many motor pools (like the half-center model) with as yet unidentified spinal mechanisms that determine differences in the initiation and termination of activity of individual motor nuclei. Alternatively, the correlations between motor pools that we have observed could be explained by spinal mechanisms that synchronize the activity of unit-burst type generators. Despite the distribution of common locomotor commands to many functionally diverse motor nuclei, the spinal locomotor pattern generator is differentiated to the extent that some motor nuclei, like EDL and FDL, receive separate locomotor commands. This conclusion is consistent with other observations. EDL and FDL display distinctive, individualized patterns of locomotor activity that may vary in a facultative manner or in different forms of locomotion (O'Donovan et al., 1980; Trank et al., 1996). A recent study has shown that during fictive locomotion EDL and FDL motoneurons receive input from different sets of last-order interneurons than those which project to other motor pools (Degtyarenko et al., 1998). These results suggest that spinal locomotor generators are differentiated for the individualized control of some digit muscles, like FDL and EDL.

Animals↗

Correlation of urodynamic results and urethral coaptation with success after transurethral collagen injection.

OBJECTIVES: We correlated preoperative urodynamic and intraoperative endoscopic findings with initial improvement, single collagen injection effectiveness for intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD), and long-term improvement following transurethral collagen injection for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS: Since 1993, 79 patients have been treated with transurethral collagen injection by the same urologist. Of these patients, intraoperative photographs of urothelial coaptation immediately after injection were available in 67 patients: 35 women with ISD, 24 men with incontinence, primarily following prostatectomy, and 8 children with neurogenic bladder. Urothelial coaptation was described as snug, fair, or poor. Preoperative Valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP), detrusor instability, impaired bladder compliance, bladder neck appearance, urothelial scarring, and degree of coaptation were correlated with both initial and long-term improvement. Initial improvement was compared with long-term improvement. RESULTS: Initial improvement was experienced by 85% of all the subjects (86%) of the women, 80% of the men, and 100% of the children with a neurogenic bladder condition). Overall, 31% of patients had long-term improvement after a mean follow-up of 2.2 years, including 43% of the women, 13% of the men, and 33% of the children. The patients underwent a mean of 1.5 (1 to 4) collagen injections. There was a significant correlation between degree of coaptation and initial improvement (P = 0.003), but not with long-term improvement. There was no correlation between VLPP detrusor instability, impaired compliance, bladder neck appearance, or urethral scarring and initial improvement. There was no correlation between any parameter and long-term improvement or between initial and long-term improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Initial endoscopic appearance following collagen injection predicted initial, but not long-term, improvement after one collagen injection. Initial improvement was high in both men and women but decreased considerably over time, more so in men, and was not significantly correlated with long-term success. Urodynamic and endoscopic findings do not predict long-term success following collagen injection.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Endocrine status in elderly men with lower urinary tract symptoms: correlation of age, hormonal status, and lower urinary tract function. The Prostate Study Group of the Austrian Society of Urology.

OBJECTIVES: To correlate endocrine parameters in elderly men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) to patient age and clinical parameters such as prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and uroflowmetry and to compare the clinical and endocrinologic parameters in men with or without hypogonadism. METHODS: Men (40 years old or older) with untreated LUTS as defined by an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 7 or greater due to benign prostatic hyperplasia were included in this study and underwent the following investigations: IPSS, free uroflow study, postvoid residual volume, transrectal ultrasound for assessment of prostate volume, serum PSA determination, and an endocrine study, including testosterone, human luteinizing hormone, human follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, dehydroepiandrostendione-sulphate (DHEA-S), and prolactin. RESULTS: Three hundred twelve men (mean age 62.8 +/- 10.6 years, range 40 to 91) were analyzed. The serum levels of estradiol (correlation coefficient [r] = 0.19), human luteinizing hormone (r = 0.32), human follicle-stimulating hormone (r = 0.19), and DHEA-S (r = -0.39) correlated (P <0.05) with age; no such correlation was seen for testosterone (r = 0.04; P0.05) or prolactin (r = 0.09; P0.05). Estradiol (but not testosterone) correlated (r = 0.17, P = 0.01) with prostate volume. The peak flow rate and PSA did not correlate with any endocrinologic parameter. Hypogonadism (serum testosterone less than 3.0 ng/mL) was detected in 22.1% of patients and had no impact on clinical (IPSS, peak flow rate, prostate volume, and PSA level) or endocrine (human luteinizing hormone, human follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, prolactin, and DHEA-S) parameters. CONCLUSIONS: A number of age-related endocrine changes are seen in elderly men with LUTS. Hypogonadism is seen in approximately one fifth of elderly men with LUTS, but in our study it had no impact on symptom status, PSA level, prostate volume, uroflowmetry, or endocrine parameters.

Adult↗

Correlation between the spermatozoal characteristics and sperm penetration distance in polyacrylamide gel and bovine cervical mucus.

Correlation between the spermatozoal characteristics and the sperm penetration distance in polyacrylamide gel was assessed, utilizing frozen thawed semen samples obtained from 6 bulls, and it was compared with the correlation between sperm penetration in bovine cervical mucus and spermatozoal characteristics. In vitro sperm penetration tests were performed with mucus and gel. The sperm penetration in gel and mucus was significantly and positively correlated with post-thaw motility (r=0.81; r=0.89:P<0.01) and acrosome integrity (r=0.88; r=0.94:P<0.01). A significant negative correlation with abnormal spermatozoa (r=-0.84;r=0.83:P<0.01) was observed. Both sperm concentration and post-thaw live spermatozoa were not significantly correlated. A significant multiple regression between sperm penetration and the spermatozoal characteristics both in gel (R2=0.87; F=40.27; P<0.01) and mucus (R2=0.91; F=60.48; P<0.01) was observed. The major spermatozoal characteristics determining the capacity of spermatozoa to penetrate gel were post-thaw motility, percentage of abnormal spermatozoa and acrosome integrity. The acrosome integrity has a more significant contribution. The correlation established with sperm penetration in gel was very similar to that of sperm penetration in mucus. The utility of gel as a mucus substitute in in vitro sperm penetration tests was discussed.

Acrosome↗

Correlation between optical coherence tomography, pattern electroretinogram, and visual evoked potentials in open-angle glaucoma patients.

OBJECTIVE: [corrected] To correlate the nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness and the visual function evaluated by electrophysiologic retinal and cortical responses assessed in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) eyes. DESIGN: Prospective case-control study. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty glaucoma patients (mean age, 47.1 +/- 7.15 years; refractive error range, +/- 2 spherical equivalent) with a mean deviation of computerized static perimetry (24/2 Humphrey, Dublin, CA) from -5 to -28 dB and intraocular pressure less than 21 mmHg on pharmacologic treatment and 14 age-matched control participants. METHODS: Nerve fiber layer thickness was measured by optical coherence tomography. Retinal and visual pathway function was assessed by simultaneously recording pattern electroretinograms (PERGs) and visual evoked potentials (VEPs) using high-contrast (80%) checkerboard stimuli (the single check edges subtend 15 minutes of the visual arc) reversed at the rate of two reversals per second. Linear regression analyses were adopted to establish the correlation between NFL thickness and PERG and VEP parameters. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nerve fiber layer thickness measurements in each quadrant (superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal) were taken and then averaged (12 values averaged) and identified as NFL overall, whereas the data obtained in the temporal quadrant only (three values averaged) were identified as NFL temporal. PERG P50 implicit time and P50-N95 amplitude and VEP P100 implicit time and N75-P100 amplitude were also measured. RESULTS: In OAG eyes, we found a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in NFL thickness in both NFL overall and NFL temporal evaluations with respect to the values observed in control eyes. PERG and VEP parameters showed a significant (P < 0.01) delay in implicit time and a reduction in peak-to-peak amplitude. In OAG eyes, the NFL overall and NFL temporal values were significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with the PERG P50 implicit time and P50-95 peak-to-peak amplitude. No correlations (P > 0.01) between NFL values and VEP parameters were found. CONCLUSIONS: There is a correlation between PERG changes and NFL thickness, but there is no correlation between VEP changes and NFL thickness in patients affected by OAG.

Adult↗

Correlation of intraocular pressures in pairs of monozygotic and dizygotic twins.

PURPOSE: Studies of twins may help to establish the importance of hereditary and environmental determinants of chronic diseases. Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a risk factor for glaucoma. The authors hypothesized that IOPs would be more highly correlated between monozygotic (MZ) than between dizygotic (DZ) twins. METHODS: This was a concurrent, case-control study. Volunteer pairs of twins were recruited at a twins' festival. Zygosity was determined by a questionnaire that correlates well with blood-typing classification. Intraocular pressure was measured with a Tonopen six times within 5 minutes (3 times per eye) and averaged. RESULTS: Mean IOP was 14.4 +/- 2.7 mmHg for 61 pairs of MZ twins and 13.9 +/- 2.6 mmHg for 32 pairs of DZ twins. The difference in IOP between the members of a pair was abbreviated delta IOP. The authors found a significant difference in median delta IOP between the MZ and DZ groups (1.2 versus 2.3 mmHg; P = 0.0014). Intraocular pressures were more highly correlated when considering right versus left eyes (intraclass correlation, r1 = 0.853; P < 0.001) than when considering the members of pairs of MZ twins (r1 = 0.735; P < 0.001), which in turn were more highly correlated than pressures of the members of pairs of DZ twins (r1 = 0.407; P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The intraclass correlation for IOP was greater for MZ than for DZ twins. In addition, the median intrapair difference (median delta IOP) was less for MZ than for DZ twins. These results suggest that hereditary factors may play some role in the determination of IOP.

Adolescent↗

Frequency doubling technique in patients with ocular hypertension and glaucoma: correlation with octopus perimeter indices.

PURPOSE: To ascertain whether frequency doubling technique (FDT) (Welch-Allyn, Skaneateles, NY; Zeiss-Humphrey, San Leandro, CA) indices provide results comparable with those of standard Octopus threshold perimeters (Interzeag AG, CH-8952 Schlieren, CH) in patients with glaucoma and in patients suspected of having ocular hypertension, glaucoma, or both. DESIGN: A comparative, consecutive, case series. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine glaucomatous patients and 41 patients with ocular hypertension or suspected glaucoma were recruited consecutively. METHODS: The visual field of the study participants were assessed by FDT program C-20 full threshold and Octopus program dG1X. Only one eye of each participant was selected randomly. Pearson's r correlation coefficient was calculated among the FDT and Octopus indices. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Using Octopus perimeter, mean defect (MD), mean sensitivity (MS), loss variance (LV), and corrected loss variance (CLV) were calculated and used for correlation. For the FDT, mean deviation (FDT-MD) and pattern standard deviation (FDT-PSD) were calculated and used for correlation. Also, the time required to perform the visual field test was considered. RESULTS: In the entire population, a statistically significant correlation (Pearson's r, P<0.001) was found between FDT-MD and both MS (0.77) and MD (-0.80) and between FDT-PSD and both LV (0.50) and CLV (0.45). When the glaucoma group was considered alone, similar significant correlation was found between the indices. In the suspected ocular hypertension and glaucoma suspect group, no significant correlation was found. A significant (P<0.001) difference was found between FDT and Octopus for the time needed to perform the visual field test. CONCLUSIONS: This new technique could be used both to screen populations and to observe glaucomatous visual field progression in early and moderate stages. The FDT is a faster way to analyze the visual field and captures threshold values for each point, but it is important to remember that this is a new technique and its limits are still unknown.

Aged↗

Brain weights correlate with behavioral parameters in individual inbred mice housed in a common and enriched environment.

Fifty 8-week-old Balb/c mice were individually identified and housed together in a large and enriched environment for 5 months. Maze and open field exploration, response to an aversive noise, swimming, and induced grooming tests were applied to each mouse in an initial search for possible relationships between brain morphology and spontaneous behavior in isogenic individuals living in a complex social and physical environment. The tasks generated 39 quantitative behavioral indices which include locomotion, rearing, still, and grooming bout frequencies, latencies, total, and mean bout durations. At the end of the tests, the 7-month-old mice were sacrificed and the fresh weights of their whole brain, cerebellum, brain stem, diencephalon, telencephalon, and prosencephalon were rapidly obtained. Behavioral data have wide variations and do not adjust to normal population distributions. Means of the same parameter differ between tests. A Spearman correlation matrix of all data yielded many significant correlations between indices of the same task which can be interpreted in terms of time budget and sequence probability. Significant correlations between indices of different tests suggest diverse emotionalities, exploratory strategies, and motor skills. The correlations between body and brain weights and among separate brain regions were not significant. There were several low but significant correlations between brain weights and behavioral indices. Such correlations, the resulting factors, and significant behavioral differences between mice with large and small brains suggest that mice displaying low motor activity in novel environments have larger brains and forebrain/hindbrain ratios than mice with high activity, and that animals with high scores of some specific behaviors have larger brain areas physiologically related to such behaviors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Correlations between plasma-neuropeptides and temperament dimensions differ between suicidal patients and healthy controls.

BACKGROUND: Decreased plasma levels of plasma-neuropeptide Y (NPY) and plasma-corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), and increased levels of plasma delta-sleep inducing peptide (DSIP) in suicide attempters with mood disorders have previously been observed. This study was performed in order to further understand the clinical relevance of these findings. METHODS: Examination of correlates between temperament dimensions (Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire together with the IVE- impulsiveness scale (EPQI), and the Marke-Nyman Temperament (MNT)) and NPY, CRH and DSIP and serum-cortisol in the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in 38 suicidal patients and matched controls. RESULTS: NPY correlated significantly and positively with psychasthenia, irritability, and stability and significantly and negatively with validity in patients, but significantly and negatively with muscular tension, psychasthenia, verbal aggression and irritability in controls. DSIP correlated significantly and positively with impulsiveness (EPQI) in controls. CRH correlated negatively with lie in controls. Cortisol correlated significantly and positively with validity, extraversion and verbal aggression and significantly and negatively with inhibition of aggression in controls. CONCLUSION: NPY may be related to stress tolerance. DSIP seems to be associated with impulsivity/antisocial traits. LIMITATIONS: Non-suicidal patients were not included in the examination. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The state of depression or stress seems to influence the correlations studied.

Adult↗

Superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities in the liver of young and old mice: linear regression and correlation.

Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GP) were determined in the liver of 15 young (3-5 months) and 15 old (23-26 months) female CBA mice. Although, the activities of all three enzymes decreased in aging, only the SOD decline was statistically significant (P<0.01). The pair wise correlation analysis exhibited an almost identical positive correlation between SOD and CAT in the liver of both young and old mice (r=0.57), whereas the correlative links between the enzymatic pairs of SOD-GP and CAT-GP were increased in aging. Close to zero in the young group (r=-0.08), the coefficient of correlation between SOD and GP became highly significant in the group of old mice (r=0.66; P<0.01). When the coefficients of pair wise and partial correlation were compared, practically no differences were found for the young mice, whereas all three partial coefficients were decreased in the group of old animals. Estimation of the linear regression between the enzymatic pairs revealed higher coefficients of regression and lower intercepts in the group of old mice. The results imply stronger correlative links between the antioxidant enzymes in the liver of old mice, compared with the same indices in the liver of young animals.

Journal Article↗

Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors in chronic hepatitis C: a correlation with histological fibrosis and activity.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is a mediator of inflammation and cellular immune response. Soluble TNF receptors (sTNFR) sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75, which compete with cellular receptors for the binding of TNF, have been detected at high levels in infectious diseases including human immunodeficiency virus and HBV infection. In order to investigate the activation of the TNF system in HCV infection, we have analyzed the balance between TNF and sTNF-R in 60 HCV-infected subjects according to their clinical, biological, virological and histological characteristics. METHODS: Serum TNF, sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75 levels were determined by ELISA before any therapy and were compared to a control group of 60 healthy subjects and a group of 34 HBV-infected patients. RESULTS: Mean TNF levels were 50.5+/-4.5 pg/ml in HCV patients, and undetectable (<5 pg/ml) in the control subjects. sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75 levels were significantly higher in HCV-infected patients than in the controls: 2.88+/-0.14 ng/ml vs. 1.30+/-0.05, (p = 0.0001), and 9.54+/-0.58 ng/ml vs. 4.19+/-016, (p = 0.0001), respectively. sTNF-R55 and TNF-alpha levels in HCV patients were not significantly different from levels in HBV patients. sTNF-R75 levels were slightly lower than in HBV patients (9.54+/-0.58 vs. 11.4+/-0.79 ng/ml, p = 0.03). In contrast to other infectious diseases, there was no correlation between levels of sTNF-R and TNF. sTNF-R75 but not TNF levels were correlated with aminotransferases levels (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0015 for aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, respectively), while sTNF-R55 levels were significantly correlated only with aspartate aminotransferase levels (p = 0.003). sTNF-R75 levels were significantly correlated with the Metavir activity index (p = 0.01), and sTNF-R55 and sTNF-R75 levels were significantly higher in patients with vs. without cirrhosis (3.22+/-0.21 vs. 2.54+/-0.17 ng/ml (p<0.02) and 11.6+/-0.86 vs. 7.5+/-0.53 ng/ml (p<0.001), respectively). sTNF-R55, sTNF-R75 and TNF levels were not correlated with viral load, genotype or response to interferon therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of soluble TNF receptors, and particularly sTNF-R75, are significantly correlated with the severity of the disease but not with virological parameters such as quantitative viremia and genotype. High TNF-R production could thus suggest that HCV-related liver disease involves immunological mechanisms, including activation of the TNF system.

Adult↗

[Keratoconus: correlations between clinical aspects and Orbscan evaluations].

PURPOSE: To look for potential correlations between clinical and topographical aspects of keratoconus evaluated by Orbscan (Chauvin-Bausch & Lomb). METHODS: We analyzed 228 keratoconic eyes in a retrospective study over a period of 16 months. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the corneal opacities were correlated with 26 topographical parameters evaluated by Orbscan. RESULTS: The maximal keratometry is the parameter that correlated best with clinical aspects. The other well-correlated keratometric parameters were the SimKmax and the Mean Power in the 3-mm zone. The distance between the central point and the point with maximal keratometry is the best localization parameter. The maximal amplitude of elevation on the anterior elevation map and the value of the minimal pachymetry also correlate well with the BCVA. The results were nevertheless quite scattered, but could be explained by bias, which will be corrected in further prospective studies. CONCLUSION: Orbscan provides useful information to assess the topography of keratoconus. Some parameters correlate well with clinical aspects, which may lead to a new clinico-topographical classification. More investigations are necessary to reduce the scattering of the results.

Adolescent↗

Intraclass correlation coefficients for cluster randomized trials in primary care: data from the MRC Trial of the Assessment and Management of Older People in the Community.

The cluster randomized trial, in which groups rather than individuals are allocated to different interventions, is an increasingly popular design. In cluster trials observations on individuals within the same cluster may be correlated, and this lack of independence must be taken into account when designing a new trial. We present intraclass correlation coefficients derived from the Medical Research Council Trial of the Assessment and Management of Older People in the Community. This is a UK-based randomized trial comparing different methods of multidimensional screening for people aged 75 years and over. One hundred six general practices and over 30,000 individuals are taking part. Estimates of the intraclass correlation coefficients were obtained using one-way analysis of variance. This is by far the broadest collection of intraclass correlation coefficients for older people at the level of the primary care clinic published to date. The intraclass correlation coefficients presented will be useful in calculating sample sizes for cluster randomized trials and surveys at the primary care clinic level. In conjunction with other papers presenting collections of intraclass correlation coefficients, this paper should help to improve the quality of cluster randomized trials and hence help lead to more reliable estimates of the effectiveness of health care interventions.

Activities of Daily Living↗