Cyclic mRNA expression of thyrotropin subunits and deiodinases in red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus.

The role of thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH) in driving peripheral thyroid function in non-mammalian species is still poorly understood. Thyroxine (T4), the principal hormone released from the thyroid gland in response to TSH stimulation, circulates with a robust daily rhythm in the teleost fish the red drum. Previous research suggests that the red drum T4 cycle is circadian in nature, driven by TSH secretion in the early photophase and inhibited by T4 feedback in the early scotophase. To determine whether TSH is produced in a pattern consistent with feedback inhibition by this T4 cycle, we used quantitative real time PCR (qPCR) to quantify the daily cycle of expression of the pituitary TSH subunits GSUα, and TSHß. We found that TSH expression cycled inversely to, and 6-12 h out of phase with, the T4 cycle, consistent with the hypothesis that TSH secretion drives the T4 cycle. To examine the potential role of deiodinases in negative feedback regulation of this TSH cycle, we also utilized qPCR to assess the pituitary expression patterns of the TH activating enzyme outer-ring deiodinase (Dio2) and the TH deactivating enzyme inner-ring deiodinase (Dio3). Dio2 was not expressed with an obvious daily cycle, whereas Dio3 expression mirrored the expression of TSH. These results are consistent with circulating T4 providing the negative feedback signal controlling both TSH production and Dio3 expression in the pituitary, and suggest that TH inactivation by inner ring deiodination is an important component of TSH negative feedback control.

Thyrotropic activity of recombinant human glycoprotein hormone analogs and pituitary mammalian gonadotropins in goldfish (Carassius auratus): insights into the evolution of thyrotropin receptor specificity.

Thyrotropin (TSH) is a pituitary glycoprotein hormone heterodimer that binds to its G-protein coupled receptor (TSH-R) at the thyroid to promote the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone. Very little is known about TSH-TSH-R interactions in teleost fish. Mammalian gonadotropins have been reported to have an intrinsic ability to activate teleost fish TSH-Rs, suggesting the TSH-R in teleost fish is more promiscuous than in other vertebrates. In this study we utilized the goldfish T(4)-release response and recombinant human TSH analogs as in vivo tools to evaluate the structural constraints on hormone-receptor interactions. We found that four positively charged lysines substituted for neutral or negatively charged amino acids within positions 11-20 of the glycoprotein hormone subunit α (GSUα) significantly increased biological activity of hTSH in fish, as it does in mammals. We further found that bovine follicle stimulating hormone but not luteinizing hormone, whose GSUα subunits also contain four lysine or arginine amino acid residues in the N-terminal portion of GSUα, was thyrotropic in goldfish, suggesting gonadotropin ß subunit contributes to the heterothyrotropic activity. Though recombinant human FSH did not produce a dose-dependent increase in T(4), thyrotropic activity could be acquired with the addition of positively charged amino acids at the N-terminal portion of its GSUα, confirming the importance of the charge on those amino acids for activation of the goldfish TSH-R. These studies demonstrate that mammalian glycoprotein hormone analogs can be utilized to evaluate the conservation of receptor binding and activation mechanisms between fish and mammals.

Sensitivity of California Isolates of Uncinula necator to Trifloxystrobin and Spiroxamine, and Update on Triadimefon Sensitivity.

Sensitivities of Uncinula necator to spiroxamine and trifloxystrobin were established by assay of 36 and 35 isolates, respectively, recovered from California grape vineyards in 2002 and increased as single-spore lines for laboratory testing. Twenty-nine single-spore isolates also were evaluated for levels of sensitivity to the fungicide triadimefon to determine if there had been a reversion to sensitivity following the development of resistance in 1986. Although triadimefon use was limited after 1992, other demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides (fenarimol and myclobutanil) were used extensively in California vineyards. For spiroxamine, the sample mean value of the median effective concentration (EC50 value) was 365 µg/liter (95% confidence interval [CI] from 251 to 531 µg/liter) and values were distributed log-normally. The corresponding mean for trifloxystrobin was 12.8 µg/liter bounded by 8.9 to 18.5 µg/liter for the 95% CI. State-wide, the triadimefon mean EC50 was 8.8 mg/liter, bounded by a 5.3 to 14.5 mg/liter 95% CI, and those values were significantly higher than those obtained in the last assay 12 years earlier. Significant differences in sensitivity of U. necator to triadimefon were detected at a regional scale by comparison of mean EC50 values of frequency distributions representative of regions within California, although the relations between those regions were different from the prior survey.

Effects of Temperature and Water Vapor Pressure on Conidial Germination and Lesion Expansion of Sphaerotheca macularis f. sp. fragariae.

Conidial germination in vitro and foliar lesion expansion were studied for Sphaerotheca macularis f. sp. fragariae. Detached strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) leaves were inoculated, then held in controlled environments of constant temperatures (4 to 36°C) and relative humidity (RH, 32 to 100%) representing the range of these variables observed under California commercial production conditions. Percent germination and lesion expansion rate were determined by destructive subsampling over time. Conidia germinated at all temperatures by 6 h and reached a maximum by 48 h, with the optimum near 20°C. Lesions were marked with the aid of a microscope and measured by computer-assisted image-analysis to determine expansion rate. Maximal rates occurred at 25°C. Several growth models were fit to the expansion rate data with high significance. Predicted optima from these models ranged from 22 to 27°C and/or 17 to 27 mm Hg VPwater@100%RH. Neither RH, partial vapor pressure of water (VPwater), nor vapor pressure deficit (VPD) correlated with lesion expansion rate, adding to studies minimizing the importance of RH and VPD as determinants of asexual phase powdery mildew growth other than specifically at spore germination.

An in situ study of metal complexation by an immobilized synthetic biopolymer using tapping mode liquid cell atomic force microscopy.

Near-field scanning optical microscopy and tapping mode, liquid cell atomic force microscopy were used to study the conformational changes in simple short-chain silica-immobilized biopolymer, poly(L-cysteine) (PLCys), as the polymer was exposed to reducing, metal-rich, and acidic environments, respectively, to simulate on-line metal preconcentration. In a reducing environment (0.01 M dithiothreitol in pH 7.0 ammonium acetate buffer), the PLCys features resembled islands on the surface of the glass, 36 +/- 7 nm in height and 251 +/- 60 nm in diameter. Upon exposure to metal (Cd2+ buffered at pH 7.0), the PLCys islands broke up into smaller metal binding clusters whose features were lower in height, 22 +/- 5 nm, and diameter, 213 +/- 53 nm. Exposure to 0.01 M HCl used for metal stripping resulted in protonation of the polymer chains and further reduction in the polymer height to 12 +/- 5 nm. These changes in molecular structure have given new insight into the mechanisms involved to achieve strong binding as well as rapid, quantitative release of bound metals to flexible short-chain synthetic biopolymers.

Comparison and evaluation of the synthetic biopolymer poly-L-aspartic acid and the synthetic "plastic" polymer poly-acrylic acid for use in metal ion-exchange systems.

Poly-L-aspartic acid (PLAsp), a biopolymer, and a similar synthetic polymer, poly-acrylic acid (PAA), each consisting of approximately 50 repeating Asp and acrylic acid monomers, respectively, were immobilized onto controlled pore glass (CPG) and evaluated for use as metal ion-exchange materials. Both polymers achieve metal complexation primarily through their repeating carboxylate side groups resulting in a similar binding trend for the metals tested (Ca(2+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Cu(2+), Mg(2+), Mn(2+), Na(+), Ni(2+), Pb(2+)), with metal binding capacities ranging from <0.1 to 12 micromol metal/g column and <0.1 to 32 micromol metal/g column for PLAsp and PAA respectively. Cu(2+) and Pb(2+) exhibited strong binding to both materials, while the other metals demonstrated only weak or minimal binding. Both columns allowed for quantitative release of bound metals through acid stripping and experienced increased overall metal binding with increasing pH. Both systems also maintained similar structural and chemical stability when continuously exposed to neutral buffered, highly acidic, oxidizing, large molecule rich, and elevated temperature environments. The main differences between the two systems are the material cost and system biodegradability.

[Effect of modern instrumental diagnosis on surgical indications for resection of colorectal liver metastases]. / Der Einfluss moderner apparativer Diagnostik auf die Operationsindikation zur Resektion colorektaler Lebermetastasen.

In order to select those patients with colorectal liver metastases who may have benefit from an operation, preoperative detection and localization of tumors in the liver is necessary. In this study, the specificity and sensitivity of a CT arterial portography and magnetic resonance imaging with contrast media was compared with the results of operative findings and intraoperative ultrasonography. The combination of both preoperative methods led to an accuracy rate of more than 90%, and all patients who underwent laparotomy were resected or treated with an arterial infusion port system. Negative laparotomies were excluded completely.

Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in full-term infants.

A retrospective analysis was undertaken in a consecutive series of 33 full-term infants (birth weight > 2500 g and a minimum of 37 weeks gestational age) with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) admitted to a regional neonatal intensive care unit from January 1986 to December 1992. Eleven infants were born in our institution; 17 were male. The estimated local incidence of symptomatic ICH for the inborn population was 4.9/10000 live births, with a regional incidence of 2.7/10000 live births. Twenty-four (72.3%) infants presented with seizures, apnea, or respiratory distress. Five (15.1%) children developed ICH associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ventriculoperitoneal shunting, and cardiac surgery. There were two deaths (6.1%) associated with a grade IV periventricular hemorrhage (PVH) and cardiac surgery. Nine infants (27.3%) showed PVH, while an additional nine children developed multifocal cortical hemorrhages. Eight infants (24.2%) showed extra-axial ICH, four children (12.1%) sustained lobar hemorrhages, and three children (9.1%) showed ICH associated with prenatal CNS abnormalities. Excluding five children with iatrogenic ICH, coagulopathies occurred in 9 of 28 infants (32.1%) and constituted a major determinant of the development of ICH. Neurosurgical intervention was limited to one infant with massive ICH and one child with hydrocephalus as a late sequela of ICH. Developmental follow-up was complete in 32 children with a mean and median duration of 3.4 years. Full-term infants with ICH associated with risk factors for hypoxic-ischemic injury showed a significantly greater risk of developmental delay compared to infants with uncomplicated ICH.

Lobar hemorrhages in full-term neonates.

A chart analysis for a 5-year period through December 1992 identified four full-term neonates with lobar hemorrhage. Prenatal and obstetrical histories were uncomplicated; all infants presented with seizures within 48 h following birth. Perinatal asphyxia and isoimmune thrombocytopenia were associated with lobar hemorrhage in two children. Although computed tomography was sufficient for diagnosis, magnetic resonance evaluation provided assessment of specific cortical injury and the age of the hemorrhage. No infant underwent surgical intervention; three children reached developmental milestones at a mean follow-up of 3.3 years.

Office care of the small, premature infant.

About 1% of infants are born before 32 weeks of pregnancy, and 0.9% have a birthweight of 1500 gm or less. More of these premature infants are surviving. Contributing factors include prenatal corticosteroid therapy and early surfactant therapy to reduce the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome. Because of this, more family physicians are providing office care for premature infants after discharge from neonatal intensive care centers. These infants require special care in the office as well as the neonatal intensive care unit. The goal of the family physician's care should be to minimize mortality and morbidity. This article summarizes recommendations for office care of the surviving premature infant.

Incidence and neurodevelopmental outcome of periventricular hemorrhage and hydrocephalus in a regional population of very low birth weight infants.

During the years 1984 to 1987, 459 very low birth weight (VLBW) infants were admitted to a state-designated Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Cerebral sonography performed in a standardized sequence and graded with the Papile scale diagnosed 97 (21.1%) children with periventricular hemorrhage (PVH). The incidence of PVH declined from a peak of 26.6% in 1985 to 16.4% in 1987, associated with an increase in the incidence of inborn admissions (including maternal transport) from 62.0% in 1984 to 80.4% in 1987. During initial hospitalization, the occurrence of both low-grade (Grades I and II) and high-grade PVH was associated with a significantly higher incidence of perinatal risk factors compared with a concurrent population of VLBW infants without PVH. Developmental follow-up was achieved in 93.3% of VLBW infants without PVH and 95.7% of VLBW infants with PVH who survived their initial hospitalization. The incidence of abnormal outcome ranged from 7 of 37 infants with Grade I PVH to 7 of 8 VLBW infants with Grade IV PVH. Only 1 of 16 VLBW infants with high-grade PVH demonstrated normal motor and cognitive development. Active hydrocephalus developed in 12 infants; 11 sustained a high-grade PVH. Appropriate treatment of intracranial hypertension did not modify the neurodevelopmental outcome. In conclusion, this regional population of VLBW infants demonstrated a decline in the incidence of PVH during the years 1984 to 1987 associated with an increase in the incidence of inborn admissions. The risk of abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome was elevated for all grades of PVH. A 12.0% incidence of hydrocephalus was associated with high-grade PVH, and appropriate treatment did not alter the poor prognosis.

[Severe liver involvement by Capillaria hepatica]. / Schwerer Leberbefall durch Capillaria hepatica.

Human hepatic capillariasis is a rare disease, which predominantly affects children aged 1 to 4 years and has a poor prognosis in extensive infections. This is the first case observed in Germany. The main symptoms are those of severe parasitosis: persistent high fever, hepatomegaly, and excessive hypereosinophilia. Diagnosis is confirmed by the finding of intracellular typical eggs in liver biopsy. There is a lack of established therapy; our 18 months old girl developed liver fibrosis. She survived under a prolonged treatment with high doses of Thiabendazole and two single doses of Ivermectine. Decortin was given to inhibit further granulomatous processes in the liver.

A history of regionalized premature care in rural Illinois.

Many historical accounts have been published on the development of premature infant care. Almost exclusively, these descriptions have involved large urban centers with university affiliation. A large rural health care region has never received comparable historical perspective. Public health records, official medical society publications, and local community hospital documents and interviews are collated in order to recreate the evolution of regionalized premature care in rural Illinois.

Office care of the premature infant.

The family physician should follow the small premature infant in the neonatal intensive care center and review the baby's problems and risk factors. In the office, special attention is required in monitoring the infant. Proper hospital and office care greatly improve the prognosis.

Diagnosis of subdural hemorrhage in utero. Case report.

A case is presented of subdural hemorrhage diagnosed in utero at 31 weeks of gestation by fetal ultrasonography. Following delivery, clinical examination of the infant revealed hydrops fetalis, right-sided cardiomegaly, hepatic dysfunction, and coagulopathy. Prompt resolution of these problems led to a retrospective diagnosis of premature closure of the foramen ovale as the precipitating event. The causes of previously reported cases of intrauterine cerebral hemorrhage are reviewed and compared to the present case.