The effects of three isoforms derived from recombinant human FSH on ovarian follicle development in vitro were characterized
for the first time. The three subfractions comprised discrete pI ranges of ...3.6â4.6 (acid), 4.5â5.0 (mid), and 5.0â5.6 (least
acidic). Follicular growth, estradiol secretion, and antral formation were assessed for each fraction of isoforms in a range
of concentrations over a 5-day culture period. Least acidic FSH produced, at and above 1.5 ng/ml, a high percentage of follicles
growing above the size threshold necessary for antral formation, whereas mid and acid FSH induced similar growth only at higher
concentrations (7.5 ng/ml and 50 ng/ml, respectively). Least acidic FSH specifically induced the most rapid growth of follicles
during preantral development. Acid FSH at all concentrations stimulated estradiol-17β secretion later during culture and antral
formation in a lower proportion of follicles than did least acidic and mid FSH. It can be concluded 1) that the least acidic
isoform induced fastest preantral growth, producing the largest antral follicles at the lowest dose of all three fractions
and 2) that the less and mid acidic isoforms had more impact on stimulation of estradiol production and antral formation than
the acid isoform.
The successful operation of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the excellent performance of the ATLAS, CMS, LHCb and ALICE detectors in Run-1 and Run-2 with \(pp\) collisions at center-of-mass ...energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV as well as the giant leap in precision calculations and modeling of fundamental interactions at hadron colliders have allowed an extraordinary breadth of physics studies including precision measurements of a variety physics processes. The LHC results have so far confirmed the validity of the Standard Model of particle physics up to unprecedented energy scales and with great precision in the sectors of strong and electroweak interactions as well as flavour physics, for instance in top quark physics. The upgrade of the LHC to a High Luminosity phase (HL-LHC) at 14 TeV center-of-mass energy with 3 ab\(^{-1}\) of integrated luminosity will probe the Standard Model with even greater precision and will extend the sensitivity to possible anomalies in the Standard Model, thanks to a ten-fold larger data set, upgraded detectors and expected improvements in the theoretical understanding. This document summarises the physics reach of the HL-LHC in the realm of strong and electroweak interactions and top quark physics, and provides a glimpse of the potential of a possible further upgrade of the LHC to a 27 TeV \(pp\) collider, the High-Energy LHC (HE-LHC), assumed to accumulate an integrated luminosity of 15 ab\(^{-1}\).
A sample from a hot spring on the northern island of New Zealand contained five different thermophilic bacterial strains. One strain with peculiar properties, i.e. the formation of dark yellow ...colonies at 30 degrees C as well as at 70 degrees C, was further characterized. It was found to be a gram-positive, facultatively aerobic, motile Bacillus species, with terminal endospores. According to the physiologic properties the strain closely resembled B. coagulans. However, two typical characteristics were contradictory to this conclusion, namely the intense yellow pigmentation of the colonies and the range of growth temperature. The latter was found to reach from 40 to 70 degrees C, with an optimum at 60 degrees C under aerobic and at 65 degrees C under anaerobic conditions. Growth at moderate temperatures was slower than at 60 degrees C, but the final cell yields were almost equal. The strain can therefore be considered as facultatively thermophilic. The pigment, which was found to be located in the cytoplasmic membrane, was spectroscopically identified as a carotenoid. Because the characteristics of this strain did not correspond with any of the Bacillus species described thus far, we concluded, that we had isolated a novel strain, for which the name Bacillus flavothermus is proposed.
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a heterodimeric glycoprotein hormone produced in the anterior pituitary gland. The hormone is essential in the regulation of reproductive processes, such as ...follicular development and ovulation. It is clinically used for treatment of anovulation and in assisted reproduction technologies such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Until recently, the only source for human FSH has been the urine from post-menopausal women. Such a natural source implies limited availability and potential product variability. Thus, we have cloned the genes encoding the alpha- and beta-subunits of human FSH and transfected these into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. A CHO-clone was isolated capable of secreting intact glycosylated FSH with identical amino acid sequences to natural FSH. This cell line was grown in perfusion culture and enabled us to isolate highly pure FSH (> 99%). The complexity of the charge distribution of human recombinant FSH was demonstrated by Isoelectric focusing. The observed microheterogeneity is caused by the large number of carbohydrate chain structures which are added to the four potential glycosylation sites in the alpha beta-dimer. Furthermore, the carbohydrates show a variation in their degree of sialylation which reflects the different pl values of the individual isohormones. Despite the complexity of post-translational modification, the isoform distribution of recombinant FSH produced in a CHO-cell line and grown in perfusion culture is surprisingly similar to that observed with pituitary FSH and urinary FSH. In conclusion, we have shown that FSH-gene transfected CHO-cells are capable of stable serum-free production of recombinant FSH. A process has been developed which assures the consistent and reproducible production of highly-purified recombinant FSH.
Introduction Women with a history of preeclampsia have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement is considered to be ...the gold-standard for diagnosing hypertension. Data on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement in women with a history of preeclampsia are scarce. Objectives To evaluate hypertension in previously severe preeclamptic women, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements were performed one year after delivery as part of our cardiovascular risk follow-up program. Results Since 2011 213 women were included in this program. 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement was performed in 90 out of 121 women (74%) who completed follow-up one year after delivery. Systolic blood pressure was 121 mm Hg (median; range 96-157) and diastolic blood pressure 78 mm Hg (median; range 62–114). Twenty-three women (26.0%) used antihypertensive medication one year postpartum. Blood pressure levels were not significantly different between women with and without medication. Five women (5/67, 7.5%) of those not using antihypertensives, were diagnosed as having hypertension by this measurement. Conclusion These data show that 30% of these previously severe preeclamptic women have persisting hypertension one year postpartum. These data stress the importance of close monitoring of blood pressure in these women.
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