Abstract: The level of a steroid hormone, including estrogen, in the stratum corneum of the skin is assayed by LC-MS analysis of a steroid hormone in the stratum corneum of the skin collected by a tape stripping method. This allows the concentration in the skin of the steroid hormone, including estrogen which has an important effect on the state of the skin, to be easily measured.

Abstract: The level of a steroid hormone, including estrogen, in the stratum corneum of the skin is assayed by LC-MS analysis of a steroid hormone in the stratum corneum of the skin collected by a tape stripping method. This allows the concentration in the skin of the steroid hormone, including estrogen which has an important effect on the state of the skin, to be easily measured.

Abstract: A steroid compound represented by the formula ##STR1## which has an excellent aromatase-inhibiting effect and is useful for preventing or treating diseases caused by estrogens, such as breast cancer, uterine cancer and prostatomegaly. This compound has an oxygen or nitrogen atom as the heteroatom at the position A of the ring D and the 7-position (substituent R.sup.1) of the skeleton is substituted by --S--R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.2 represents hydrogen, lower alkyl which may be substituted by hydroxy, amino or lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkenyl, aralkyl, aryl which may be substituted by halogen, amino, di(lower alkyl)amino, lower alkoxy or lower alkyl, acyl, or lower alkoxycarbonyl), --S(O)m--R.sub.3 (wherein R.sup.3 represents lower alkyl; and m represents 1 or 2), or aralkyl.

Abstract: Compounds are described having the formula ##STR1## wherein A denotes C.dbd.O, CH.sub.2, C.dbd.CH.sub.2 or C.dbd.CH-lower alkyl;B denotes O, NH or N-lower alkyl;X does not exist, or denotes C.dbd.O or CH.sub.2 ;n denotes 2 or 3 when X does not exist, or denotes 1 or 2 when X denotes C.dbd.O or CH.sub.2 ; andthe broken line between the 1- and 2-positions of the steroid skeleton means that a double bond may optionally exist there. These compounds have an aromatase inhibition action and are useful for prophylaxis or treatment of diseases caused by excess of estrogens, for example, breast cancer, uterine cancer, prostatic hypertrophy, etc.

Abstract: A pyridazinone derivative represented by the following general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, either one of R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 represents a hydrogen atom and the remaining two of them represent a lower alkyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, a halogen atom, a cyano group or a nitro group, and a salt thereof. The compounds are useful as antihypertensive agents.