... an endocrinologist here and am part of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Associates here at Shawnee Mission Medical ... also an endocrinologist and a member of the Diabetes and Endocrinology Associates here at Shawnee Mission Medical ...
MD, Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed...
Gamete development requires a coordinated soma-germ line interaction that ensures renewal and differentiation of germline and somatic stem cells. The physical contact between the germline and somatic...Full Text Available
The oviduct is an exquisitely designed organ that functions in picking-up ovulated oocytes, transporting gametes in opposite directions to the site of fertilization, providing a suitable environment...Full Text Available
SUMMARYThis article looks at medical approaches to women’s fertility in Argentina in the 1930s and explores the ways in which eugenics encouraged the reproduction of the...Full Text Available
BackgroundFertilization, cell division and embryo development depend on genomic contributions from male and female gametes. We hypothesize that teratozoospermic sperm influences...Full Text Available
Medico-biological aspects of Chernobyl accident among suffered children and adult population in Ukraine are exposed. Health condition of children irradiated in postnatal period and born from irradiated parents are described. Results of the most important organs and systems monitoring in different categories of suffered adults and data about non-stochastic and stochastic effects are given. Special attention is given to neuropsychiatric and endocrinological effects, conditions of visceral systems
Atrazine (ATR) has been widely applied in the US and Mid Western states. Recently, public health and ecological concerns have been raised about contamination of surface and ground water by ATR and its chlorinated metabolites, due to their toxicity and potential carcinogenic or endocrinology effects....
Mutations in transcription factors hepatocyte nuclear factors (HNF)-1#alpha# and HNF-1#beta# cause maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) types 3 and 5, respectively. HNF-1#alpha# and HNF-1#beta# mutations are well studied in some tissues, but the mechanism by which HNF-1#alpha# and HNF-1#beta# mutations affect sucrase-isomaltase (SI) transcription in the small intestine is unclear. We studied the effects of 13 HNF-1#alpha# mutants and 2 HNF-1#beta# mutants on human SI gene transcription, which were identified in subjects with MODY3 and MODY5, respectively. Transactivation activity of 11 HNF-1#alpha# and 2 HNF-1#beta# mutants was significantly lower than that of wild (wt)-HNF-1#alpha# and wt-HNF-1#beta#. Furthermore, in co-expression ...
The functional interaction between the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor {gamma} (PPAR{gamma}) and its coactivator PGC-1{alpha} is crucial for the normal physiology of PPAR{gamma} and its pharmacological response to antidiabetic treatment with rosiglitazone. Here we report the crystal structure of the PPAR{gamma} ligand-binding domain bound to rosiglitazone and to a large PGC-1{alpha} fragment that contains two LXXLL-related motifs. The structure reveals critical contacts mediated through the first LXXLL motif of PGC-1{alpha} and the PPAR{gamma} coactivator binding site. Through a combination of biochemical and structural studies, we demonstrate that the first LXXLL motif is the most potent among all nuclear receptor coactivator motifs tested, and only this motif of the two LXXLL-related motifs in PGC-1{alpha} ...
The mature spermatozoon of Cricocephalus albus is filiform, tapered at both ends and shows the following features: 2 axonemes of different lengths presenting the 9+''1'' trepaxonematan pattern, 2 bundles of parallel cortical microtubules, a mitochondrion and a nucleus. Nevertheless, the particularity of the spermatozoon of C. albus is its anterior extremity with an apical electron-dense material associated with extramembranar ornamentation, a cytoplasmic dorsolateral expansion and spine-like bodies. To our knowledge, such an anterior extremity of the spermatozoon has not previously been described from a species of the superfamily Pronocephaloidea. Our study provides new data on the mature gamete of C. albus in order to improve our understanding of the pronocephaloidean phylogenetic relatio...
The authors discuss radioimmunoassays (RIAs) for eicosanoids widely used in the field of experimental, clinical and pharmacological research. The main drawback of RIAs is the possibility of low specificity. This was clearly demonstrated during the controversy on plasma levels of 6-keto-PGF_1 #alpha#, the stable hydrolysis product of PGI_2. When extensive purification including reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (rp-HPLC) was performed prior to the RIA for 6-keto-PGF_1 #alpha# the levels were at least one order of magnitude less than previously claimed, and did not support the so-called circulating hormone hypothesis.
Chemical analyses were done on the abnormal hemoglobins of the five (101 x SEC)F_1 offspring of X- irradiated adult SEC mice to determine which hemoglobin genes were expressed in each hemoglobin variant. Three offspring of irradiated SEC males did not express either of the two kinds of #alpha#-chains normally found in all SEC mice. The deficient #alpha#-chain synthesis caused these mice to exhibit an #alpha#-thalassemia similar to human #alpha#-thalassemia. Scanning electron microscopy was used to show that many erythrocytes of mice with #alpha#-thalassemia have bizarre shapes; e.g. many erythrocytes appeared flattened or had thorny projections (acanthocytes). One mutant with a tandem duplication of a segment of chromosome 7 (site of locus determining #beta#-chain structure) produced twice as much SEC as 101 #beta#-chain polypeptides. One mutant that probably arose by non-disjunction of chromosome 7's in its unirradiated 101 mother and loss of chromosome 7 from the ...
Experience in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility has led to an increased understanding of the prominent role male factors play in many couples' inability to conceive. While many forms of male factor infertility are amenable to treatment, for some patients there is no corrective therapy available. For this reason, a great deal of attention has been focused on developing technologies for semen processing and sperm utilization in cases of decreased semen quality. One area of research is the development of more sophisticated methods of assessing sperm function, as well as methods of sperm preparation. Progress is also being made in the application of technologies such as intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization in the treatment of male factor infertility. Such developments have improved prospects for fertility among patients suffering from decreased semen quality, as well as those suffering from such disorders as ejaculatory failure and congenital vasal agenesis. ...
We have isolated the human prointerleukin 1 (proIL-1) beta gene from leukocyte and fetal liver libraries. The nucleotide sequence and its gene organization reveals that the proIL-1 beta gene is composed...Full Text Available
The advance in the analysis of very small amount (<= 1#alpha#/cm"2h) of #alpha#-emitters in the cited materials is reviewed. The review, for which 75 references are listed, covers the period from January, 1978, to June, 1982. The use of #alpha#-ray counting, #alpha#-ray spectrometry, #gamma#-ray spectrometry, neutron activation analysis and mass spectrometry is discussed, and their relative merit and limitation are outlined. (J.P.N.).
Backgrund: Interleukin-1, tumornecrosisfactor-{alpha} and interferon-{gamma} endogenously provide protection of the hematopoietic system against radiation. Thiols have already been used successfully as radioprotective agents. In this study the effect von N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the release of interleukin-1{alpha} and {beta} (IL-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-{gamma} (IFN-{gamma}) and tumornecrosisfactor-{alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) was assessed in an in vitro assay. Patients and Methods: Whole blood samples from 8 healthy volunteers were stimulated with 7.5 {mu}m/ml PHA. NAC was added at concentrations of 0.6, 6, 12 and 24 mmol/l. Subsequently the samples were irradiated with a dose of 18 Gy according to preceding validation experiments. Results: IL-1{alpha}, IL-1{beta} and IL-2: In comparison to simulation and radiation alone the addition of 0.6 and 6 mmol/l with IL-2 also 12 mmol/l, NAC resulted in a ...
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) have been shown to stimulate bone resorption in vitro. We have now investigated whether these cytokines also cause a similar action when administered in vivo. This was made possible by the adaptation of a newly developed technique that enables the continual assessment of bone resorption in vivo in mice by measuring urinary excretion of {sup 3}H from ({sup 3}H)tetracycline-prelabeled animals. Experiments using maneuvers known to influence bone resorption, such as a change in dietary calcium or administration of parathyroid hormone or dichloromethylenebisphosphonate, indicate that the technique is reliable and sensitive in mice. Daily intravenous administration of either recombinant human or recombinant murine TNF-alpha, as well as subcutaneous administration of recombinant human IL-1alpha, were found to stimulate bone resorption in a dose-dependent manner. The effect was maximal ...
Redd1, a recently discovered stress-response gene, is regulated by hypoxia via hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and by DNA damage via p53/p63; however, the signaling pathway by which its expression is induced by hypoxia has not been elucidated. We demonstrated that the up-regulation of Redd1 transcription by hypoxia and high cell density (HCD) depends on cooperation between Sp1 and HIF-1#alpha# downstream of the PI3K/Akt pathway.
A single round of Edman degradation was employed to remove the NH_2-terminal valine from isolated #alpha# chains of human hemoglobin. Reconstitution of normal #beta# chains with truncated or substituted #alpha# chains was used to form truncated (des-Val"1-#alpha#1) and substituted ([[1-"1"3C]Gly"1]#alpha#1) tetrameric hemoglobin analogs. Structural homology of the analogs with untreated native hemoglobin was established by using several spectroscopic and physical methods. Functional studies indicate that the reconstituted tetrameric protein containing des-Val"1-#alpha# chains has a higher affinity for oxygen, is less influenced by chloride ions or 2,3-biphosphoglycerate, and shows lower cooperativity than native hemoglobin. These results confirm the key functional role of the #alpha#-chain NH_2 terminus in mediating cooperative oxygen binding across the dimer ...
This report is intended to satisfy two concurrent needs: (1) provide a contract deliverable from Oncorh Consulting to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), with emphasis on identification of salient results of value to ongoing Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) planning and (2) summarize results of research that have broader scientific relevance. This is the fourth in a series of reports that address reproductive ecological research and monitoring of spring chinook populations in the Yakima River basin. This annual report summarizes data collected between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2005 and includes analyses of historical baseline data, as well. Supplementation success in the Yakima Klickitat Fishery Project's (YKFP) spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) program is defined as increasing natural production and harvest opportunities, while keeping adverse ecological interactions and genetic impacts within acceptable bounds (Busack et al. 1997). ...
Effect of globular structure parameters - size of primary #alpha#-phase particles (bsub(I)), thickness and amount of plates of secondary #alpha#-phase (bsub(II), #gamma#sub(II#alpha# )) - on a complex of mechanical properties (#sigma#sub(#beta#), S, phi, asub(H), asub(T), Ksub(Q), #sigma#sub(-1), #sigma#_1_0_0"4"5"0, #sigma#sub(0.2/100)) of VT3-1 (#alpha#+#beta#)-titanium alloy is studied. The dependences obtained allow one to determine globular structure parameters, providing necessary mechanical properties. In combination with data on the effect of thermal treatment conditions on structure parameters, results obtained in the paper may be used for structure control to increase a level of required characteristics.
Technique, allowing to investigate straggling zone (full braking) from high-energy charged particles in detail, is described. Experimental results on investigation of efective structure, created in polycrystalline molybdenum (99.97%) within 29 MeV alpha-particles straggling zone for fluences from 3.8x10"1"9 up to 3.7x10"2"1 #alpha#/m"2 by methods of microhardness (H_#mu#, X-ray structural analysis (#DELTA#a/a) and transparent electron microscopy (TEM), are presented. It is determined, that for doses from 3.8x10"2"0 #alpha#/m"2 and higher, at #approx#6 MeV energy, molybdenum ''softening'' is observed, H_#mu# curve within straggling zone is well described by alloyage calculated profile. #DELTA#a/a measurements within straggling zone are well described by damage profile. TEM-investigations have shown the developed defective structure even within molybdenum ''softening'' range.
[alpha]-Melanocyte stimulating hormone ([alpha]-MSH), a hormone originally named for its ability to regulate pigmentation of melanocytes, is a 13-amino-acid post-translational product of the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene. [alpha]-MSH and the other products of POMC processing, which share the core heptapeptide amino acid sequence Met-Glu (Gly)-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly (Asp), the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), [beta]-MSH, and [gamma]-MSH, are collectively referred to as melanocortins. While best known for their effects on the melanocyte (pigmentation) and adrenal cortical cells (steroidogenesis), melanocortins have been postulated to function in diverse activities, including enhancement of learning and memory, control of the cardiovascular system, analgesia, thermoregulation, immunomodulation, parturition, and neurotrophism. To identify the chromosomal band encoding the human melanocortin-1 receptor gene, 1 [mu]g of an EMBL clone coding region of the human MC1R and approximately 15 kb ...
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The capacity to maintain internal ion homeostasis amidst changing conditions is particularly important for teleost fishes whose reproductive cycle is dependent upon movement from freshwater to seawater. Although the physiology of seawater osmoregulation in mitochondria-rich cells of fish gill epithelium is well understood, less is known about the underlying causes of inter- and intraspecific variation in salinity tolerance. We used a genome-scan approach in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) correlated with variation in four salinity tolerance performance traits and six body size traits. Comparative genomics approaches allowed us to infer whether allelic variation at candidate gene loci (e.g., ATP1alpha1b, NKCC1, CFTR, and cldn10e) could have underlain observed variation. RESULTS: Combined parental analyses yielded genome-wide significant QTL on linkage groups 8, 14 and 20 for salinity ...
The purpose of this study was to examine arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism and to characterize the type of adrenergic receptor (AR) involved in the production of the major metabolite of this fatty acid. ({sup 14}C)AA was incubated with GPT-rings and the radiolabelled products were extracted and separated by TLC method. The medium was also assayed for radiolabelled immunoreactive PG's (iPG's) and leukotrienes (LT) B4 and C4 by RIA or Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) after exposure to various AR agonists. ({sup 14}C)AA was incorporated into GPT-rings and metabolized mainly into iPGE2 and smaller amounts into PGF2{alpha}. Trace amounts of PGD2 and 6-keto-PGF1{alpha} but not LTB4 or LTC4 were detected by RIA and/or EIA. Incubation of GPT rings for 15 minutes with isoproterenol and salbutamol resulted in a significant increase of PGE2 synthesis (optimum conc: 10{sup {minus}7}, 10{sup {minus}7}M respectively). In contrast, dobutamine, ...
The purpose of this study was to examine arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism and to characterize the type of adrenergic receptor (AR) involved in the production of the major metabolite of this fatty acid. ["1"4C]AA was incubated with GPT-rings and the radiolabelled products were extracted and separated by TLC method. The medium was also assayed for radiolabelled immunoreactive PG's (iPG's) and leukotrienes (LT) B4 and C4 by RIA or Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) after exposure to various AR agonists. ["1"4C]AA was incorporated into GPT-rings and metabolized mainly into iPGE2 and smaller amounts into PGF2#alpha#. Trace amounts of PGD2 and 6-keto-PGF1#alpha# but not LTB4 or LTC4 were detected by RIA and/or EIA. Incubation of GPT rings for 15 minutes with isoproterenol and salbutamol resulted in a significant increase of PGE2 synthesis (optimum conc: 10"-"7, 10"-"7M respectively). In contrast, dobutamine, norepinephrine, phenylnephrine and xylazine (up to ...
The single-axis portion of a three-axis superconducting gravity gradiometer has been completed in the course of this research. The theory of the superconducting gravity gradiometer has been generalized and put into a Lagrangian formulation. A condition for frequency-independent common mode balance combined with a multi-stage vibration isolation scheme has enabled a stable operation of the gradiometer for prolonged periods. In a preliminary test, the gradiometer has exhibited a noise level of 1-2 E Hz"-/sup 1/2/ below 1 Hz, limited by seismic noise, where 1 E = 10"-"9 m s"-"2 m"-"1. To perform a test of the inverse square law, the single-axis gradiometer is mounted with its axis tilted from the vertial by an angle tan"-"1 #sq root#2. The device is then turned incrementally by 120"0 around the vertical to carry the gradiometer from one axis to the other two axes of an orthogonal coordinate system. A lead pendulum weighing 1600 kg forms a periodic monopole source of gravity. The ...
A general theoretical approach for the study of the two-dimensional structure of high-n Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE) in finite-#beta#, large aspect ratio (R_o/a much-gt 1) tokamak equilibria is presented. Here, n is the toroidal mode number, #beta# = plasma/magnetic pressure, and a(R_o) is the minor (major) radius of the torus. It is shown how the general pseudo-differential boundary value problem for the radial eigenmode structure can be systematically constructed from the local dispersion relation; which is obtained using the ballooning formalism. The TAE modes are characterized by a broad radial envelope, the width of which is independent on the mode number in the general case of monotonic equilibrium profiles. The results on the two-dimensional eigenmode structure are expected to be applicable to drift-type waves. The ballooning transform is generalized here to handle singular eigenfunctions typical of the continuous shear Alfven spectrum, and, thereby, facilitates the ...
An essential issue in gallium (Ga)-stabilized fcc-phase plutonium ({delta}-Pu) is the formation of helium (He) voids and bubbles emanating from the radiolytic decay of the Pu. The rate of formation of He voids and bubbles is related to the He-defect formation energies and their associated migration barriers. The size and shape distributions of the bubbles are coupled to these critical migration processes. The values of the defect formation energies, internal pressure, and migration barriers can be estimated from atomistic calculations. Complicating this picture is the destruction of He-filled voids and bubbles by subsequent radiolytic decay events. The present study concerns the construction of the necessary potential energy surfaces for the Pu-He and He-He interactions within the modified embedded atom method (MEAM). Once fully tested, the potentials will be used to estimate the He-defect formation energies and barriers to the migration of these defects for both interstitial and ...