H.J.R. de Boer

Cognitive impairments and mood disturbances in growth hormone deficient men

In order to establish whether reported psychological complaints in hypopituitary adults are related to growth hormone (GH) deficiency or other pituitary hormone deficiencies, emotional well-being and cognitive performance were evaluated in 31 men with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD) and in 17 men with isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD). Assessments included evaluation of somatic and psychological complaints, depression, fatigue, vigor, tension, state and trait anxiety, iconic memory, short-term memory, long-term memory and perceptual-motor skill. The control group consisted of 41 healthy men, matched for age. Growth hormone secretion was more severely impaired in MPHD than in IGHD patients. Despite oral replacement therapy, MPHD patients also had lower serum testosterone levels than IGHD subjects. The MPHD patients were found to have lower vigor scores, higher state anxiety scores, worse perceptual-motor skill and worse memory performance than controls. In contrast, IGHD patients only showed subnormal memory performance. It was concluded, therefore, that the cognitive impairment in both MPHD and IGHD was related to GH deficiency. The subnormal vigor scores in MPHD patients were attributed to the reduced testosterone levels. The worse perceptual-motor skill in MPHD patients might be related specifically to ACTH deficiency. Finally, the higher state anxiety in MPHD was attributed to a low self-esteem, which may be the psychological consequence of the hypogonadal appearance these patients have. We conclude that, from a psychological point of view, MPHD and IGHD adult patients are quite distinct groups.

Growth hormone substitution in adult growth hormone-deficient men augments androgen effects on the skin.

To assess whether growth hormone (GH) administration to adult GH‐deficient men leads to increased sexual hair. The sexual hair scores are subnormal in these patients, even in the presence of normal serum androgen levels.

An investigation of the di-Grignard approach to metallabenzocyclobutenes of group 14

Abstract The reactions of 1,2-dihydro-1-magnesabenzocyclobutene (5) with dichlorodimethylsilane (12a), dichlorodimethylgermane (12b) and dichlorodimethylstannane (12c) are reported; 1,2-dihydro-1,1,dimethyl-1-silabenzocyclobutene (14a) and 1,2-dihydro-1,1-dimethyl-1-germabenzocyclobutene (14b) were formed in high yields, but the tin analogue 14c was not obtained. Eight-membered ring species, the dimers 17 and 18, were isolated for all three metals. Other products gave useful indications of the probable course of these interesting and complex reactions.

First synthesis of an olefin-coordinated platina(II)cyclobutane and its conversion into diphosphineplatina(II)cyclobutanes

The reaction of the 1,3-di-Grignard reagent 1,3-bis(bromomagnesio)-2,2-dimethylpropane (1) with dichloro(1,5-η2-cyclooctadiene)platinum(II) ( cyclooctadiene)-3,3-dimethylplatina(II)cyclobutane (3) in 90% yield. The diene ligand of 3 is easily replaced by monodentate phosphine ligands to give diphosphineplatina(II)cyclobutanes (4). Relationships between coupling constants 1J(PtP) and the cone angles θ of the phosphine ligands and between 1J(PtP) and the ring size of platinacycloalkanes are briefly discussed.

Synthesis of metallacyclobutanes and metallacyclobutabenzenes of molybdenum and tungsten

Abstract Reactions of 1,3-bis(bromomagnesio)-2,2-dimethylpropane or 1-magnesacyclo-butabenzene with either dichloromolybdenocene or dichlorotungstenocene have given the corresponding four-membered metallacycles of both metals.