We measured natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and cortisol and prolactin concentrations in peripheral venous blood samples obtained from pregnant Gabonese women at the time of delivery. The NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in vitro was lower in samples obtained from primiparous women than in samples obtained from multiparous women; cortisol c...

  ABSTRACT In order to evaluate time course of changes in serum concentration of thyroid hormones, cortisol and ACTH in patients exposed to chemical weapons containing sulfur mustard, we measured serum concentrations of hormones on the first, third and fifth week following injury in 13 soldiers and compared them to the results obtained from 34 control men. Free T4 and T3 indices were decrease...

Background: Acute intoxication with ALP is extremely lethal. The present study was conducted to determine the range of serum cortisol levels in ALP poisoning and its correlation with patient outcome. Methods: This study was carried out on patients who were intoxicated with ALP. Their demographic data and pertinent findings in their history and physical examination were recorded at the time o...

In normal pregnancy, cortisol increases; however, further pathological increases in cortisol are associated with maternal and fetal morbidities. These experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that increased maternal cortisol would increase maternal glucose concentrations, suppress fetal growth, and impair neonatal glucose homeostasis. Ewes were infused with cortisol (1 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1)...

Serum levels of progesterone, cortisol and phenytoin as well as the excretion of 17-OHCS were determined in 45 male epileptics before and during 24 months of the therapy. A significant decrease of the hormones was found in untreated patients. Phenytoin administration caused further decrease of cortisol and its metabolite 17-OHCS levels and a compensation of progesterone serum concentration.

Species have traditionally been defined as cortisol-dominant or corticosterone-dominant, depending on the glucocorticoid that is reported. To assess the degree of covariance versus independence between cortisol and corticosterone, 245 serum samples belonging to 219 individuals from 18 cortisol-dominant, non-domesticated species (6 mammalian orders) were compared by mass spectrometry. In these s...

Saliva collection and cortisol radioimmunoassay techniques were developed to enable frequent, "non-stressful" monitoring of stress in sheep and calves. Thus, transitory stress responses due to transport, castration or confinement have been recorded and compared. Significant increases in salivary cortisol concentration occurred in sheep exposed to rough transport or when first confined in metabo...

Background: Stress in preterm neonates is associated with morbidity and mortality. Preterm newborns who are in need of special care are at risk of experiencing stress because of separation from the mother, ambient noises, lighting intensity, and medical procedures. Massage is believed to reduce stress through touch stimulation, and the cortisol is one of the indicators of the stress response. T...

Stress-related variations of fluoride concentration in supernatant saliva and salivary sediment, salivary cortisol, total protein and pH after acute mental stress were assessed. The hypothesis was that stress reactions have no influence on these parameters. Thirty-four male students were distributed into two groups: first received the stress exposure followed by the same protocol two weeks late...

BACKGROUND Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder. There is limited knowledge about the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in PD. The primary aim of this prospective study was to analyze diurnal salivary cortisol concentrations in patients with PD and correlate these with age, gender, body mass index (BMI), duration of PD, and pain. The secondary aim w...