Drivers of biogenic volatile organic compound emissions in hygrophytic bryophytes.

Bryophytes can both emit and take up biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) to and from the environment. Despite the scarce study of these exchanges, BVOCs have been shown to be important for a wide range of ecological roles. Bryophytes are the most ancient clade of land plants and preserve very similar traits to those first land colonisers. Therefore, the study of these plants can help understand the early processes of BVOC emissions as an adaptation to terrestrial life. Here, we determine the emission rates of BVOCs from different bryophyte species to understand what drives such emissions. We studied 26 bryophyte species from temperate regions that can be found in mountain springs located in NE Spain. Bryophyte BVOC emission presented no significant phylogenetic signal for any of the compounds analysed. Hence, we used mixed linear models to investigate the species-specific differences and eco-physiological and environmental drivers of bryophyte BVOC emission. In general, species-specific variability was the main factor explaining bryophyte BVOC emissions; but additionally, photosynthetic rates and light intensity increased BVOC emissions. Despite emission measurements reported here were conducted at 30°, and may not directly correspond to emission rates in natural conditions, most of the screened species have never been measured before for BVOC emissions and therefore this information can help understand the drivers of the emissions of BVOCs in bryophytes.

Higher allocation to low cost chemical defenses in invasive species of Hawaii.

The capacity to produce carbon-based secondary compounds (CBSC), such as phenolics (including tannins) and terpenes as defensive compounds against herbivores or against neighboring competing plants can be involved in the competition between alien and native plant species. Since the Hawaiian Islands are especially vulnerable to invasions by alien species, we compared total phenolic (TP), total tannin (Tta), and total terpene (TT) leaf contents of alien and native plants on Oahu Island (Hawaii). We analyzed 35 native and 38 alien woody plant species randomly chosen among representative current Hawaiian flora. None of these CBSC exhibited phylogenetic fingerprinting. Alien species had similar leaf TP and leaf Tta contents, and 135% higher leaf TT contents compared with native species. Alien plants had 80% higher leaf TT:N leaf content ratio than native plants. The results suggest that apart from greater growth rate and greater nutrient use, alien success in Oahu also may be linked to greater contents of low cost chemical defenses, such as terpenes, as expected in faster-growing species in resource rich regions. The higher TT contents in aliens may counterbalance their lower investment in leaf structural defenses and their higher leaf nutritional quality. The higher TT provides higher effectiveness in deterring the generalist herbivores of the introduced range, where specialist herbivores are absent. In addition, higher TT contents may favor aliens conferring higher protection against abiotic and biotic stressors. The higher terpene accumulation was independent of the alien species origin, which indicates that being alien either selects for higher terpene contents post-invasion, or that species with high terpene contents are pre-adapted to invasiveness. Although less likely, an originally lower terpene accumulation in Hawaiian than in continental plants that avoids the increased attraction of specialist enemies associated to terpenes may not be discarded.

Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization on terpene emission and content of Artemisia annua L.

Plant roots interact with a wide variety of rhizospheric microorganisms, including bacteria and the symbiontic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. The mycorrhizal symbiosis represents a series of complex feedbacks between plant and fungus regulated by their physiology and nutrition. Despite the widespread distribution and ecological significance of AM symbiosis, little is known about the potential of AM fungi to affect plant VOC metabolism. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether colonization of plant roots by AM fungi and associated soil microorganisms affects VOC emission and content of Artemisia annua L. plants (Asteraceae). Two inoculum types were evaluated: one consisted of only an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus species (Glomus spp.), and the other was a mixture of different Glomus species and associated soil bacteria. Inoculated plants were compared with non-inoculated plants and with plants supplemented with extra phosphorus (P) to obtain plants of the same size as mycorrhizal plants, thus excluding potentially-confounding mycorrhizal effects on shoot growth. VOC emissions of Artemisia annua plants were analyzed by leaf cuvette sampling followed by off-line measurements with pre-concentration and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Measurements of CO(2) and H(2)O exchanges were conducted simultaneously. Several volatile monoterpenes were identified and characterized from leaf emissions of Artemisia annua L. by GC-MS analysis. The main components identified belong to different monoterpene structures: alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, camphor, 1,8-cineole, limonene, and artemisia ketone. A good correlation between monoterpene leaf concentration and leaf emission was found. Leaf extracts included also several sesquiterpenes. Total terpene content and emission was not affected by AM inoculation with or without bacteria, while emission of limonene and artemisia ketone was stimulated by this treatment. No differences were found among treatments for single monoterpene content, while accumulation of specific sesquiterpenes in leaves was altered in mycorrhizal plants compared to control plants. Growth conditions seemed to have mainly contributed to the outcome of the symbiosis and influenced the magnitude of the plant response. These results highlight the importance of considering the below-ground interaction between plant and soil for estimating VOC emission rates and their ecological role at multitrophic levels.

Implications of foliar terpene content and hydration on leaf flammability of Quercus ilex and Pinus halepensis.

We investigated the implications of foliar hydration and terpene content on leaf flammability in two widely distributed forest species of the Mediterranean basin, Quercus ilex, which does not store terpenes, and Pinus halepensis, a terpene-storing species. The experiments were carried out in plants grown under different water regimes that generated a wide range of foliar hydration and terpene contents. We monitored the temperatures and time elapsed to reach the smoke, pyrolysis and flame phases. Smoke appeared much earlier (37 versus 101 s) and at lower temperatures (96 versus 139 degrees C) in Quercus ilex than in Pinus halepensis. Quercus ilex reached pyrolysis earlier than Pinus halepensis (278 versus 338 s) but at the same temperature (365-371 degrees C). There were no significant differences in time elapsed nor in temperature for flammability (386-422 s; 505-487 degrees C in both species). Quercus ilex had lower water hydration than Pinus halepensis (41 versus 100%) and the leaf content of terpenes in Quercus was three orders of magnitude lower. The results of this study show no differences in the flame phase between the two species and the absence of a significant relationship between temperature and elapsed time of the different flammability phases in relation to monoterpene content; thus indicating that the role of monoterpenes in flammability phases is smaller than that of the water content. This, however, does not exclude the effects of terpene content on plant combustibility and fire propagation once fires start.

Clinical studies with d-Trp 6-luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone in anovulatory women.

Nine anovulatory patients with hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction were treated with d-Trp6-luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, an analog with far greater gonadotropin-releasing activity than luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. Four of eight patients, who were formerly unsuccessfully treated with clomiphene, human chorionic gonadotropin, and human menopausal gonadotropin, ovulated after treatment with the peptide alone or with peptide preceded by clomiphene, and three became pregnant. The ninth patient, who had amenorrhea and anovulation due to excessive loss of weight caused by anorexia nervosa, also ovulated after treatment with the analog. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of this potent analog for induction of ovulation and pregnancy and point favorably toward clinical applications.

Levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone, and 17 beta-estradiol in response to D-Trp6-LH-releasing hormone during different phases of the menstrual cycle in normal women.

PIP: The response of serum LH, FSH, and 17beta-estradiol (17b-E) to stimulation with D-Tryp6-LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH analog) was measured in 34 normal women. The analog was administered either by vein, muscle, or continuous iv infusion in doses from 1 to 50 mcg during different phases of the menstrual cycle. The increase in LH and FSH to 10 mcg analog was significant (p .05) in all phases of the menstrual cycle by 60 minutes postadministration and lasted for at least 8 hours. 17b-E increased significantly by 8 hours. LH-RH analog was 40 and 21 times more potent than LH-RH in the stimulation of LH and FSH, respectively, during the follicular phase. In the ovulatory phase, LH and FSH responses differed kinetically from their responses in the other phases, and gonadotropin release was both faster and greater. The gonadotropin responses of 3 men when compared with those of the female subjects were almost always smaller (p .05). Because of the greater potency of this LH-RH analog, it may be useful in the treatment of infertility.^ieng

Testosterone and 17 beta-oestradiol secretion of the human ovary. I. normal young women, and premenopausal women with endometrial hyperplasia.

Testosterone and 17 beta-oestradiol were determined in blood obtained from the ovarian veins of 26 women, 16 of whom were young and regularly ovulating and menstruating, and 10 of whom were premenopausal with uterine bleedings and endometrial hyperplasia. The concentrations of these two hormones in the cubital veins of the premenopausal women were also determined. It was found that the concentrations of the two hormones were not significantly greater in the premenopausal women than in the control group of young normally ovulating and menstruating women in the periovulatory phase of the menstural cycle, but that the ovarian secretion rates of both hormones, particularly of testosterone, were considerably greater in the premenopausal women. In these women the concentrations of both hormones were significantly lower in the cubital veins than in the ovarian veins. The conclusion is that the augmented oestrogenic effect on the endometrium and on other target organs of premenopausal women with endometrial hyperplasia may be due not only to an increased ovarian secretion rate of estradiol, but also and more specifically to an increased ovarian secretion rate of testosterone, and to the rapid vonversion of this hormone into oestradiol in the periphery.

Testosterone and 17 beta-oestradiol secretion of the human ovary. II. normal postmenopausal women, postmenopausal women with endometrial hyperplasia and postmenopausal women with adenocarcinoma of the endometrium.

A study of the concentration of testosterone and of 17 beta-estradiol in blood drawn from the ovarian and cutal veins of normal oestrogen-deficient postmenopausal women and of postmenopausal women with signs of oestrogen activity, and the subsequent computation of the ovarian production rates of these two hormones, show that in the latter group of women there is a high ovarian secretion of testosterone. The theory is advanced that this ovarian-secreted testosterone is rapidly converted into 17 beta-oestradiol, and that, by thus increasing the levels of circulating oestrogens, ovarian-secreted testosterone contributes, albeit indirectly, to endometrial hyperplasia and possibly to endometrial carcinoma.

Seasonal patterns of non-terpenoid C6-C10 VOC emission from seven Mediterranean woody species.

The seasonal pattern of non-terpenoid C6-C10 VOC emission by seven Mediterranean woody species (Bupleurum fruticosum, Cistus albidus, Pinus halepensis, Arbutus unedo, Erica arborea, Quercus coccifera, and Q. ilex) was studied under field conditions. Branch chamber samples were sorbed on carbotrap and analyzed by thermal desorption in combination with GC-MS. These non-terpenoid C6-C10 VOC emissions were large, almost of similar magnitude to those of terpenes. Overall, maximum values were recorded in spring and summer (up to 12 microg g(-1) DM h(-1) in Q. ilex) and minimum values in autumn and winter (up to 5 microg g(-1) DM h(-1) in Q. ilex). These C6-C10 VOC emissions represented 2.82% of the photosynthetic C fixation in summer and 0.22% in winter. Some compounds such as 2-ethoxyethyl acetate were emitted by most species, others such as 3-hexen-1-ol, phenol or decanal were significantly emitted only by few species. The greatest diversity of emitted non-terpenoid C6-C10 VOCs was observed in spring and in Q. ilex. Temperature seemed a strong driver of these seasonal changes but other species-specific and seasonal factors seem involved. These results indicate that C6-C10 non-terpenoid VOCs contribute a rather significant fraction of the total biogenic VOC flux from these Mediterranean species, especially in spring and summer, and therefore should be considered in VOC emission inventories and in model predictions of tropospheric chemistry.

Vaginal cytology in the postmenopause. A study into some correlates.

A considerable number of women continue to have proliferative vaginal smears indicating a certain level of endogenous estrogen production. Some correlates of this were studied. No significant correlation was found with age since menopause or with overweight. No correlation was found between the proliferation of the vaginal smear and climacteric complaints, circulatory or nervous. The implications of a proliferative smear for the postmenopausal woman and of the postmenopausal estrone production are briefly discussed. They appear at least to be ambiguous, because, although they protect against some facets of the estrogen deficiency syndrome, the factors which are correlated to a high level of endogenous estrone production are known as risk factors, predisposing for a higher incidence of uterine bleedings and perhaps malignant degeneration of some target cell tissues.

[The antepartum oxytocin fetal assessment challenge test 1,827 case histories. Significance of "prepathological testing". "Results" (author's transl)]. / L'épreuve de tolérance foetale à l'ocytocine antépartum. A propos de 1.827 cas. Signification des "epreuves prépathologiques". "Resultats".

We carried out the Oxytocin Challenge Test (or OCT as American authors call it) by injecting 5 m.U. per minute into pregnant women who are suspect of having high fetal risk from the 34th week of pregnancy onwards. The material that we have examined is from 1,366 cases with 1,827 tests. The perinatal mortality over all was 13.17 per thousand of the cases. We have described three types of response: normal (87.44%), pre-pathological (7.77%) and pathological (6.78%). We have concluded that the test has a good prognostic value and point out the significance of the pre-pathological results, which we think have up till now not been accorded sufficient attention.

[The effects of cyproterone acetate on plasma testosterone in the hirsute woman]. / L'action de l'acétate de cyprotérone sur la testotérone plasmatique de la femme atteinte d'hirsutisme.

It seems that the principal antiandrogenic action of cyproterone acetate is on the site of the androgenic receptors. Since recent work proves that there is an action on plasma testosterone, we wanted to check in women with raised testosterone levels if cyproterone lowered these levels. The answer is : Yes. Observations seem to confirm that cyproterone acetate causes a significant lowering of plasma testosterone. The basic level of testosterone and the drop in blood levels of testosterone after the antiandrogenic action has occurring do not seem to be significantly different whether the virilism is caused by an adrenal mechanism or by an ovarian mechanism.

[Sequential test with clomiphene and LH-RH in cases of anovulatory sterility (author's transl)]. / Le test séquentiel clomifène-LH-RH en cas de stérilité due à un cycle anovulatoire.

In sterile menstruating women with anovulatory cycle, the response of plasmatic gonadotropins and urinary total Estrogens and Pregnandiol to the administration of Clomifene and LH-RH in a sequential test is studied. Five different types of response, similar to those detected in previous studies using the LH-RH test, are identified; in them, uniformity in the response of gonadotropins exists to both LH-RH and Clomifene. The results obtained seem to confirm the existence of diverse etiopathogenic mechanisms in the alterations of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Ovarian axis resulting in anovulatory cycle.

[Clomiphen-test in anovulatory sterility (author's transl)]. / L'épreuve au clomiphène dans les stérilités par cycle anovulatoire

Twenty women with sterility due to an anovulatory cycle, were submitted to a load of hundred milligramms by day of clomiphene citrate during five days. The test was always performed between the 10th and the 14th day of the cycle. Before and after the clomiphene administration, FSH and LH in plasma and total estrogens and pregnanediol in 24 hours urine, were estimated. The results, are compared with those of ten normal women and the observed results may schematically been classified into three groups: A) Normal response. -- B) Week gonadotropic response. -- and C) High LH baseline. This results seem to indicate three main origines for the anovulatory cycle syndrome: hypothalamic, pituitary and ovarian.

[Relations between the oxytocin test and morphometry of the placenta]. / Relations entre test à l'ocytocine et la morphométrie du placenta

We have studied placental morphometry after delivery in 23 cases in which the oxytocin challenge test was carried out towards the end of the pregnancy. Thus we have been able to compare the results of the two and establish details of placental measurement that have the greatest influence on its function. The following parameters seem to have the most direct influence, by statistical relationship, with placental insufficiency: the total surface of the villi, the concentration of villi per unit sectioned, the surface of fetal capillaries and the mean diameter of these capillaries. On the other hand the mean diameter of the villi and the number of capillaries per villus do not seem to have any relationship to function. These results bring further proof to our old ideas as to the value of placental morphometry and confirm the value of the oxytocin challenge test.

[The effect of oxytocin on contractility of the human uterine artery]. / Effets de l'ocytocine sur la contractilité de l'artère utérine humaine.

We have studied in this work 30 human uterine arteries which were taken from hysterectomy specimens where the indication for the hysterectomy was obstetrical or gynaecological. The arteries were prepared in strips using furchgott and Bhadrakom's technique that they developed for the isolated aorta of the rabbit so that the authors could study the response to oxytocin on the isolated human uterine artery. When CIK was added to the preparation in which the arteries were, oxytocin had an antagonistic effect which was dose-dependent. The same effect was noted when Cl2Ba was added.

[The role of hyperprolactinaemia in sterility where the cycle is anovulatory and where there is deficit of progestogen. (Investigations of the pituitary reserves of FSH, LH and prolactin) (author's transl)]. / Du rôle de l'hyperprolactinémie dans la stérilité par cycle anovulatoire et par insuffisance progestative. (Investigations sur la réserve hypophysaire de FSH, LH et prolactine.

We have measured by radio-immunological assays the levels of prolactin (PRL), of FSH and of LH in the plasma in 7 cases where sterility was due to persistent anovulatory cycles and in 6 cases where there was a progesterone deficiency as the sole aetiological factor. Then we stimulated the release of these three hormones by giving 300 micrograms of TRF, PRL, and 100 micrograms of LH-RH, of FSH and of LH. The results were compared with those obtained in 7 cases of normal young women with clear-cut biphasic cycles used as controls. These results show that a rise in the reserves of prolactin in the pituitary is very common in anovulatory cycles and in progesterone deficiency. In every case where the prolactin is raised LH is significantly lowered, where as the levels of FSH do not show much variation between those found in normal women. Thus an inverse relationship between PRL and LH has been demonstrated and its significance has been commented on.

[Biological parameters of virilism in women]. / Paramètres biologiques du virilisme féminin.

Comparative results of the suppression-stimulation test by dexamethasone and chorionic gonadotropin, chromatographic separation of 17-ketosteroids, and plasma testosterone levels in the ovarian and adrenal veins, in cases of virilism in women. Thirteen patients with hirsutism and virilization were investigated as follows: 1. measurement of plasma testosterone (T) levels by radioimmunoassay (RIA) during suppression-stimulation tests by the administration of Dexamethasone (DXM) and chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG). 2. chromatographic determination of urinary 17-ketosteroids, pregnanediol (P2), and pregnanetriol (P3). An attempt was made to classify virilism as "ovarian" or "adrenal" based on the results of 1. and 2. 3. bilateral ovarian and adrenal venous catheterization through the femoral vein to measure T (RIA) levels. 4. laparotomy with bilateral wedge resections of the ovaries for therapeutic and biopsy purposes. Surgical catheterization of the ovarian veins was carried out during the operation. The results of these tests show that: a) the dynamic DXM-HCG test can be used to separate those cases in which the ovary is not involved in T formation from those in which, apparently, it is involved. b) chromatographic determination of urinary steroids has no aetiological value, as the variations in the different fractions are not significant. c) in all patients, the principal source of T is the adrenals and not the ovaries, even when there is an increase in T in the ovarian efferent blood vessels.

[Metabolic syndrome X in women]. / El síndrome metabólico X en la mujer.

The author exposes the present concept of metabolic syndrome X, which is a complex of Type II diabetes, obesity, hypertension and vascular problems. This syndrome has been known for many years, but it has been individualized as such only recently. This is due to the huge importance that obesity is reaching in developed countries, especially in the U.S.A. Today this is a very important health problem. In this work, in addition to the description of the syndrome, which is purely an internal medicine issue, its relation to some women-specific problems is also explained, especially to the so-called polycystic ovary.

[Microbiopsy and endometrial dating]. / El microlegrado y el dataje del endometrio.

This paper summarizes the experience from 78,000 biopsies of the endometrium taken and studied in collaboration with Dr. Francisco Nogales from 1944 to 1982. This is one of the biggest series existing on this matter and its commentary comprises all the changes in our idea of endometrial biopsy which have taken place in this long period of time.