Size and location of thyroid gland in the fetal period

Purpose

The present study’s purpose was to examine the size and location of the thyroid gland using anatomic dissection methods on fetal cadavers.

Methods

This study was performed on 200 spontaneously aborted human fetuses (100 males and 100 females) aged between 9 and 40 weeks of gestation. Fetuses without any external and internal pathology or anomaly were included in this study. Fetuses were divided into four groups based on gestational ages as follows: first group 9–12 weeks (first trimester), second group 13–25 weeks (second trimester), third group 26–37 weeks (third trimester) and fourth group 38–40 weeks (full term). The fetuses were also grouped into monthly cohorts as follows: 9–12 weeks, 3rd month; 13–16 weeks, 4th month; 17–20 weeks, 5th month; 21–24 weeks, 6th month; 25–28 weeks, 7th month; 29–32 weeks, 8th month; 33–36 weeks, 9th month; and 37–40 weeks, 10th month. The anterior necks of fetuses were dissected and the thyroid glands exposed. Vertebral and laryngeal levels and the dimensions (width, length, thickness and weight) of the fetal thyroid glands were determined by anatomical dissection methods. The dimensions and ratios of the fetal thyroid gland (weight/fetal body weight) were evaluated.

Results

The mean values and standard deviations of all parameters by gestational weeks, months, and trimesters were calculated. It was found that all parameters increased with gestational age. No significant differences were observed between genders in all parameters (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the right and the left sides for parameters of the thyroid glands. The levels of the superior poles of the thyroid lobes were located at the cervical (C) C1–C3 vertebral bodies. The levels of the inferior poles of the thyroid lobes were located at C4–C5 vertebral bodies. The levels of the superior poles of thyroid lobes were located between the upper ½ and lower ½ of the thyroid cartilage or cricoid cartilage. The levels of the inferior poles of the thyroid lobes were located between the second and sixth tracheal rings. The distance between the superior poles of the thyroid gland and the hyoid bone increased throughout the fetal period. The dimensions of fetal thyroid glands increased with gestational age. The ratio between thyroid gland weights and fetal body weights was unchanged during the fetal period.

Conclusions

We believe that the results obtained from this study will be useful in monitoring thyroid glands in the intrauterine period as well as recognizing early diagnosis and treatment of thyroid anomalies. It will also contribute to future studies in obstetrics, perinatology, and fetopathology.     

A noble bimetal oxysulfide CuVOS catalyst for highly efficient catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and organic dyes

A novel copper–vanadium bimetallic oxysulfide (CuVOS) nanoparticle catalyst was successfully synthesized by a facile method. The samples were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), UV-Vis diffuse spectroscopy (DRS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms. In order to check the catalytic efficiencies toward reduction reaction, 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and other organic dyes such as rhodamine-B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), and methyl orange (MO) were used. The results showed that the CuVOS prepared in the presence of a suitable amount of N₂H₄ during the synthesis of the nanoparticles exhibited the fastest reduction capabilities by using NaBH₄ as a reducing agent. It was demonstrated that a 100 mL 4-NP (20 ppm) solution was completely reduced by 5 mg CuVOS-3 within 2 min. Moreover, the complete reduction of 100 mL of MO, RhB, and MB solutions of 100 ppm was also achieved by 5 mg CuVOS-3 within 2 min, 6 min, and 5 min, respectively. Hence, the CuVOS is an efficient catalyst for reducing 4-NP and organic dyes and can have great potential for industrial application.

A novel CuVOS catalyst was successfully synthesized by a facile method. The CuVOS with optimum amount of N₂H₄ had higher catalytic activity.     

The planarian Schmidtea mediterranea as a model system for the discovery and characterization of cell‐penetrating peptides and bioportides

The general utility of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, an organism with remarkable regenerative capacity, was investigated as a convenient three‐dimensional model to analyse the import of cell‐penetrating peptides (CPPs) and bioportides (bioactive CPPs) into complex tissues. The unpigmented planarian blastema, 3 days post head amputation, is a robust platform to assess the penetration of red‐fluorescent CPPs into epithelial cells and deeper tissues. Three planarian proteins, Ovo, ZicA and Djeya, which collectively control head remodelling and eye regeneration following decapitation, are a convenient source of novel cationic CPP vectors. One example, Djeya1 (RKLAFRYRRIKELYNSYR), is a particularly efficient and seemingly inert CPP vector that could be further developed to assist the delivery of bioactive payloads across the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells. Eye regeneration, following head amputation, was utilized in an effort to identify bioportides capable of influencing stem cell‐dependent morphogenesis. These investigations identified the tetradecapeptide mastoparan (INLKALAALAKKIL) as a bioportide able to influence the gross morphology of head development. We conclude that, compared with cellular monolayers, the S. mediterranea system provides many advantages and will support the identification of bioportides able to selectively modify the biology of totipotent neoblasts and, presumably, other mammalian stem cell types.     

D-dimer level predicts in-hospital mortality in patients with infective endocarditis: A prospective single-centre study

Background

Increased circulating D-dimer levels have been correlated with adverse outcomes in various clinical conditions. To our knowledge, the association of on-admission D-dimer and in-hospital mortality in infective endocarditis (IE) has not been investigated. We hypothesized that increased on-admission D-dimer levels would correlate with adverse outcomes when prospectively studied in patients with IE.

Methods

In this prospective study, a total of 157 consecutive patients with the definite IE diagnosis met the inclusion criteria and underwent testing for on-admission D-dimer and CRP assays. The outcome measure was in-hospital death from any cause.

Results

In-hospital mortality occurred in 40 (26%) patients. Increased levels of plasma D-dimer (5.1 ± 1.7 vs 1.9 ± 0.8, p < 0.001), CRP [45(13-98) vs 12(5–28), p < 0.001] were found in dead patients compared with those survived. In addition to S. aureus infection, increased leukocyte count, end-stage renal disease, LVEF < 50%, vegetation size of > 10 mm, perivalvular abscess, on-admission D-dimer (HR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.24-1.40; p < 0.001) and CRP (HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.09-1.36; p = 0.001) levels were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. Furthermore, the sensitivity and specificity of D-dimer ≥ 4.2 mg/L in predicting in-hospital death in IE were 86% and 85%, respectively. Moreover, the sensitivity and specificity of CRP levels ≥ 13.6 mg/L were 72% and 69%, respectively.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that on-admission D-dimer level may be a simple, available and valuable biomarker that allows us to identify high-risk IE patients for in-hospital mortality. D-dimer ≥ 4.2 mg/L, CRP ≥ 13.6 mg/L were independently associated with IE related in-hospital death.     

Use of knee height for the estimation of stature in elderly Turkish people and their relationship with cardiometabolic risk factors

The determination of the approximately truest value in height measurement is important in many fields, but it is difficult to perform true measurements, especially in the elderly individuals. We planned to investigate the following items in geriatric Turkish population: to calculate the decrease in height with advancing age by using the standing height measurement and estimated height derived from the knee height; to evaluate the significance of difference between the two measurement methods in the calculation of body mass index (BMI) and waist/height ratio (WHtR); to determine the cut-off value of WHtR according to estimated height in elderly individuals. We studied 551 cases aged between 19 and 97 years. Knee height was measured using a sliding caliper in a sitting position. Linear regression analysis was carried out to derive predictive equations for the estimation of stature with adults (≤50 years of age) according to the gender. This equation was then used to estimate height among elderly subjects. Of the cases, 60.3% were <60 years (mean: 48.75 ± 7.50); 39.7% of the cases were >60 years (mean: 69.51 ± 7.12). Estimated BMI (EBMI) measurements in the females and males >60 years were in average 1.23 kg/m² and 0.92 kg/m² higher than their real BMIs, respectively. EBMI measurements in the females <60 years were 0.32 kg/m² higher than their real BMIs (p < 0.01). There is a statistically significant difference between WHtR in the females of both age groups, and in the males >60 years, as compared to our estimated WHtR (EWHtR) measurements (p < 0.01). The cut-off point of WHtR was 0.61 and 0.58 in the female and male cases of >60 years in our study, respectively. WHtR seemed to be a better anthropometric index that could predict most cardiometabolic risk factors in our study. EWHtR emerged to be a better cardiometabolic risk index especially in the elderly group.