HCG

In North Africa, this experimental work represents the first artificial induced spawning of Micropterus salmoides on artificial gravel nests. During February 2012, gillnet fishes were collected from 3 dams located in the west of Algeria. 24 adults including 10 males and 14 females were selected, and transferred into two under cover concrete rectangular raceways (R1 and R2) supplied with suitable water quality. Males and females were kept separated, and supplied with ad libitum natural food. The experiments started at 14°C water temperature, and were carried out on 3 batches of fishes. In R1, the batch B1 consisted of 3 males and 5 females. In R2, the batch B2 included 6 males and 8 females, and B3 of a couple of fishes. 52 days later, when the water temperature reached 23°C, the fishes began to exhibit courtship behaviours. As a control group, fishes of B1 were not given any hormonal treatment. Fishes of B2 were given a single injection of 4500 IU of HCG/Kg of body weight. The couple of fishes in B3 were given a single injection of a solution of 4500 IU of HCG/Kg of body weight mixed with the extract of 1g of pituitary gland of Cyprinus carpio. A 1m 2 artificial spawning gravel nest was immersed at each corner of the raceways. No spawning occurred in B1 despite courtship behaviour. For B2, spawning occurred on the bottom of R2 and on one artificial nest (average 2000 eggs/m 2). B3 showed better spawning (average 3500 eggs/m 2). The artificial nests were transferred into nursery raceways under laboratory conditions. The global rate of hatching was 80%. Monitoring of the fry growth was carried out until the 24 th day post-hatching.

In North Africa, this experimental work represents the first artificial induced spawning of Micropterus salmoides on artificial gravel nests. During February 2012, gillnet fishes were collected from 3 dams located in the west of Algeria. 24 adults including 10 males and 14 females were selected, and transferred into two under cover concrete rectangular raceways (R1 and R2) supplied with suitable water quality. Males and females were kept separated, and supplied with ad libitum natural food. The experiments started at 14°C water temperature, and were carried out on 3 batches of fishes. In R1, the batch B1 consisted of 3 males and 5 females. In R2, the batch B2 included 6 males and 8 females, and B3 of a couple of fishes. 52 days later, when the water temperature reached 23°C, the fishes began to exhibit courtship behaviours. As a control group, fishes of B1 were not given any hormonal treatment. Fishes of B2 were given a single injection of 4500 IU of HCG/Kg of body weight. The couple of fishes in B3 were given a single injection of a solution of 4500 IU of HCG/Kg of body weight mixed with the extract of 1g of pituitary gland of Cyprinus carpio. A 1m 2 artificial spawning gravel nest was immersed at each corner of the raceways. No spawning occurred in B1 despite courtship behaviour. For B2, spawning occurred on the bottom of R2 and on one artificial nest (average 2000 eggs/m 2). B3 showed better spawning (average 3500 eggs/m 2). The artificial nests were transferred into nursery raceways under laboratory conditions. The global rate of hatching was 80%. Monitoring of the fry growth was carried out until the 24 th day post-hatching.

Evidence has been inconsistent and at times conflicting with little data focusing on how predictive and effective serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as a marker of poor pregnancy outcome. In addition, no definite protocol has been developed on how to approach women found to have high level of serum AFP and hCG. The purpose of this study is to assess the association between the raised serum AFP on its own or combined with raised hCG with the adverse pregnancy outcome. At University Hospital Lewisham, all pregnant women are offered a second trimester  quadruple test if they miss their first trimester screening due to late presentation. 281 women had raised serum AFP of >2 MoM and in 70 cases both serum AFP and beta-hCG  were raised ( >2MoM). The result of this study demonstrates that pregnancy complications were increased in women with unexplained abnormal quadruple screen analytes (high AFP and beta hCG levels of >2MoM). Although caution must be undertaken not to cause unnecessary anxiety, we feel that increased awareness and patient education could prevent certain pregnancy complications. Serum markers, in combination with other modalities such as ultrasound and Doppler, may improve detection rates of abnormal pregnancy outcomes.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a very unique rule
breaker to the basic guidelines of biochemistry and physiology,
it is one name and a large group of 5 or 6 completely
independent or separate molecules. Each has a common
a-subunit and ß-subunit amino acid sequence and is separated
by difference in O-glycosylation, differences in N-glycosylation,
differences in sulfation and differences in mutations and
merism (Table 1). It is with these differences that the forms
of hCG somehow fold differently, bind different receptors and
have partially-independent or completely independent roles.
Recently, a simplified renaming was recommended, hCG-1,
hCG-2, hCG-3, hCG-4, hCG-4ß and hCG-5. These names are
used in parenthesis after the lengthy names commonly used
and used in this report (Submitted 2016, “The hCG Family
of Independent Molecules Needs

The determination of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) in biological fluids is of great interest in the early pregnancy diagnostics, the evaluation of pregnancy disorders, as a tumor marker, as a screening procedure for anti-doping control, and many other purposes. A simple sandwich-type UltraMicro Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (UMELISA) has been developed for the measurement of HCG in serum and urine samples. Strips coated with a high affinity MAb directed against HCG are used as solid phase, to ensure the specificity of the assay. The HCG assay was completed in 1.5 h, with a measuring range of 0.76-400 mIU/mL. The intra-and inter-assay coefficients of variation were lower than 10 %, depending on the HCG concentrations evaluated. Recovery percentages were 96.43-97.16 % (serum) and 98.10-99.04 % (urine). The assay detected intact HCG, nicked HCG, HCG ␤, and nicked HCG ␤, and did not recognize any of the interfering molecules tested. Regression analysis showed a good correlation with Elecsys in serum

A young lady presented with epigastric pain and amenorrhea of two months duration. Pregnancy test was positive, however, ultrasonography showed an empty uterus. Abdominal ultrasound revealed nodules on the liver with possible lesions in the pancrease. A CT scan subsequently revealed a pancreatic tumour with metastasis to different organs. Patient later developed jaundice and died before any intervention could be made. Pancreatic tumour is often diagnosed late due to their non specific symptoms. After the diagnosis is made the mortality is high irrespective of the pathologic and clinical stages. Paraneoplastic syndrome is often seen with oat cell carcinoma of the lung with significant production of cortisol. The presence of high level of HCG in woman is often associated with pregnancy or other trophoblastic diseases. It could also be seen in patients with pancreatic cancer.