rs3827440, a nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism within GPR174 gene in X chromosome, is associated with Graves' disease in Polish Caucasian population.

Recently Chu et al. conducted a two-stage genome wide association study in Chinese that identified a novel X-linked Graves' disease (GD) susceptibility marker at rs3827440 - a nonsynonymous (P162S) nucleotide transition (519C

[Evaluation of effects of L-thyroxine therapy in differentiated thyroid carcinoma on the cardiovascular system --prospective study]. / Ocena wplywu leczenia supresyjnego L-tyroksyna w raku tarczycy na uklad krazenia--badanie prospektywne.

Patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma are treated by thyreoidectomy, followed by radioiodine treatment. A life-time suppressive therapy with L-thyroxine is also indicated. However, it may cause cardiovascular side effects. The aim of the study was a prospective evaluation of the left ventricle hypertrophy in patients treated with suppressive doses of thyroxine. A significant rise in left ventricular mass and mass index was noted during the first year of therapy and could be prevented by a simultaneous treatment with low doses of bisoprolol.

Fibroblast growth factor-8 protects cultured rat hippocampal neurons from oxidative insult.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been reported to have neuroprotective properties following excitotoxic, metabolic, and oxidative insults. We report here that another FGF family member, FGF-8 is able to protect rat hippocampal cultures from oxidative stress. The b isoform of FGF-8 protected hippocampal cultures from hydrogen peroxide with an EC50 of approximately 25 ng/ml. In a time course study, using pre-, co-, post-treatment paradigms, we report that bFGF and FGF-8b were neuroprotective when added as a pre-treatment, co-treatment, and even at 2 h post-insult. Using neuronal enriched cultures, we demonstrate that bFGF and FGF-8b neuroprotection partially results from a direct action of the growth factors on neurons. The direct action on neurons may work in concert with normal and FGF-stimulated glial secretion products to give the full FGF protective effect. FGF-8b showed maximal protection at 50 ng/ml, whereas bFGF showed maximal protection at 10 ng/ml. Despite requiring higher concentrations to elicit protection, FGF-8b is able to attain levels of protection equivalent to that of bFGF (attenuation of 75-80% of hydrogen peroxide induced death). We also report that bFGF and FGF-8b are able to protect the human neuroblastoma cell line, SK-N-MC, from peroxide-induced LDH release by 50%. From these studies, we conclude that FGF-8b is another member of the FGF family which may show in vivo efficacy for the treatment of oxidative insults, such as stroke.

[TSH-receptor antibodies in thyroid diseases]. / Przeciwciala przeciw receptorom dla TSH w chorobach tarczycy.

The clinical usefulness of detection of TSH receptor antibodies (TRAK-assay, Henning) in differential diagnosis of thyroid disorders and in follow up of treatment of Graves' disease was evaluated and compared to thyroperoxidase antibodies estimation (DYNOtest antiTPO Henning). 313 patients with various thyroid diseases and 50 persons from control group were examined. Thyroperoxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) titers were frequently elevated in Graves' disease before treatment (88.6%, median 3361 U/ml) and in Hashimoto thyroiditis (100%, median 6055 U/ml). Median TPO-Ab was in normal range in other thyroid disorders and in control group (toxic nodular goiter: 58.5 U/ml, neutral nodular goiter: 46.0 U/ml, thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy: 58.8 U/ml, control group: 0 U/ml). TSH-receptor antibodies (TRAb) were detected in 94.1% in patients with Graves' disease (median 52 U/l) and only in 12.5% with Hashimoto disease (median 4.1 U/l), in 25% with toxic nodular goiter (median 4.1 U/l), in 10.9% with neutral nodular goiter (median 4.6 U/l) in 17.4% with thyroid cancer (median 1.6 U/l) and in 4.8% in control group (median 1.7 U/l). The TPO-Ab titers did not decrease significantly during thyrostatic treatment of Graves' disease. Patients in clinical remission after treatment exhibited TPO-Ab in 76.9% (median 615.5 U/ml). In contrast, the TRAb titers failed in patients treated with thyrostatics longer then six months (64%, median 16 U/l). After treatment 86.7% of them had normal values (median 1.0 U/l). The increase of TPO-Ab persisted in patients investigated two years after subtotal thyroidectomy (92.3%, median 750 U/ml). Only in patients operated before 10 years the titers declinedsignificantly (32%, median 43.4 U/ml). The TRAb titers fell significantly after thyroidectomy (two years: 62.5%, median 10.7% U/l, 10 years: 36.4%, median 4.2 U/l). Estimation of TRAb is a powerful tool for differential diagnosis of Graves' disease and enables better monitoring of the applied treatment than estimation of TPO-Ab.

The excretion of urea by the larvae of Spodoptera mauritia Boisd. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) during development.

The concentration of urea in the excreta of the 6th instar larvae of Spodoptera mauritia varies from 4.017 +/- 0.541 to 31.052 +/- 1.193 mumoles/g dry excreta (mean +/- SE). The observation confirms that urea excreted is of metabolic origin.