Absence of the left inferior thyroid artery: clinical implications

Dissection of an adult male cadaver revealed an absence of the left inferior thyroid artery; its usual area of distribution to the thyroid gland was supplied by the right inferior thyroid artery. Absence of the left inferior thyroid artery occurs in 1-6% of cases. The inferior thyroid artery arises commonly from the thyrocervical trunk, passes posterior to the carotid sheath and supplies the inferior pole of the corresponding lobe of the thyroid gland; its branches can course anterior or posterior to or between branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. During thyroid surgery it is imperative to identify the relationship of the inferior thyroid artery to the recurrent laryngeal nerve or to establish its absence because injury to the nerve can be a major complication; awareness of significant variations of the surgical anatomy of the thyroid gland is vital for preserving the integrity of important structures.     

Depressed folate incorporation into milk secondary to iron deficiency in the rat

The present study was designed to determine whether reduced folate incorporation into milk can account for folate depletion of iron-deficient suckling rats. Dams were fed diets containing 2 mg/kg folate and either 8, 12 or 250 mg/kg iron throughout gestation and lactation to produce severely iron-deficient, moderately iron-depleted and iron-sufficient states in 17-d-old pups (n = 15 litters/group). On d 17 of lactation, dams were separated from litters and given intraperitoneal injections of [3',5',7,9-3H]pteroylmonoglutamic acid ([3H]PteGlu) or physiological saline. Mean [3H]PteGlu incorporation into milk of severely iron-deficient dams was 67% of that in iron-sufficient controls, while "total" and "free" milk folate activities were 54 and 61%, respectively. Values for milk [3H]PteGlu incorporation and folate activities were intermediate in moderately iron-depleted dams. Pup red blood cell folate activity was positively correlated with both free (r = 0.43, P = 0.004) and total (r = 0.37, P = 0.015) milk folate activities. Mean plasma folate activities of severely and moderately iron-deficient pups were 68 and 86% of control values, respectively. Results show that in both mild and severe iron deficiency, reduced folate secretion into milk is at least partially responsible for impaired folate status of suckling pups.     

Proliferation of pulmonary alveolar macrophages during postnatal development of rabbit lungs

The purpose of this study was to determine if proliferation of pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) played a significant role in establishing the PAM population of the lung during postnatal development. New Zealand albino rabbits were killed at 0.5, 1 through 5, 7, and 14 days and 4 months after birth and their lungs were lavaged. Cell yield in the lavage was determined by hemocytometer counts, and the percentage of PAM in mitosis (mitotic index) was determined from cytocentrifuge preparations. The total number of PAM increased from 1.5 X 10(6) at 1 day to 8.38 X 10(6) at 14 days after birth. The mitotic index (MI) was 0.6% at 0.5 days after birth, increased to 1.6% at 1 day, and remained elevated through 5 days. By 14 days, the MI declined to 0.2%. The cell cycle time (Ct) of the PAM population was calculated from the MI and ranged from 1.8 to 2.4 days during Days 1 through 5 of life. Direct measurements of the doubling time (Dt) of PAM in the lavage revealed that the PAM population doubled twice over this same time period. Because Ct was equal to Dt during Days 1 through 5, we conclude that proliferation of PAM was the primary mechanism by which the PAM population increased during the immediate postnatal development of the rabbit lung. No evidence was obtained indicating that migratory monocytes or interstitial macrophages were involved with this process of population expansion. This study adds to the growing literature demonstrating that the intraalveolar proliferation of "free" PAM is the major local source of PAM in the lung.     

Genetic Analysis Workshop II: combined segregation, linkage, and association analysis

A combined segregation, linkage, and association analysis using the program COMBIN was performed on the simulated pedigree data prepared for the Second Genetic Analysis Workshop. The model used in COMBIN is described and the presented results illustrate its effectiveness in the analysis of such data. Linkage analysis was performed and maps for each linkage group are presented.     

Rapid,Full-Scale Change to Virtual PCIT During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implementation and Clinical Implications

Health agencies call for the immediate mobilization of existing interventions in response to numerous child and family mental health concerns that have arisen as result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Answering this call, this pilot study describes the rapid, full-scale change from a primarily clinic-based Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) model to a virtual service model (i.e., I-PCIT) in an academic and community-based program in Miami, Florida. First, we describe the virtual service training model our program developed and its implementation with 17 therapists (M_Age?=?32.35, 88.2% female, 47.1% Hispanic) to enable our clinic to shift from providing virtual services to a small portion of the families served (29.1%) to all of the families served. Second, we examine the effect of I-PCIT on child and caregiver outcomes during the 2-month stay-at-home period between March 16, 2020, and May 16, 2020, in 86 families (M_ChildAge?=?4.75, 71% Hispanic). Due to the rapid nature of the current study, all active participants were transferred to virtual services, and therefore there was no comparison or control group, and outcomes represent the most recently available scores and not treatment completion. Results reveal that I-PCIT reduced child externalizing and internalizing problems and caregiver stress, and increased parenting skills and child compliance with medium to large effects even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the study examined components of our virtual service training model associated with the greatest improvements in child and caregiver outcomes. Preliminary findings revealed that locally and collaboratively developed strategies (e.g., online communities of practice, training videos and guides) had the strongest association with child and caregiver outcomes. Implications for virtual service delivery, implementation, and practice in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.

     

The midsagittal area of the corpus callosum and total neocortical volume differ in three inbred strains of mice

Differences in the midsagittal area of the corpus callosum have been reported between human males and females, between handled and nonhandled rats, and both within and between various strains of mice. This measure has, in addition, been related to handedness in humans and "pawedness" in certain strains of mice. The present study investigated the between- and within-strain differences in three inbred strains of mice, two with autoimmune disorders and spontaneously occurring developmental neuropathology, in the midsagittal area of the corpus callosum, the total neocortical volume, and the asymmetry of the neocortex. These morphometric measures were obtained from coronally sectioned celloidin-embedded material from New Zealand Black (NZB/BINJ), BXSB/MpJ, and DBA/2J mouse strains. NZB mice had a total neocortical volume larger than that of either the BXSB or DBA strains, whereas the BSXB mice had a midsagittal area of the corpus callosum larger than that of either of the other two strains. In addition, there was a positive correlation between these two measures. There was no correlation between total neocortical asymmetry and midsagittal area of the corpus callosum in any of the three strains. Finally, there were no differences in any morphometric measure between animals with or without developmental neuropathology in any given strain.     

Duration of improved muscle glucose uptake after acute exercise in obese Zucker rats

Skeletal muscle is insulin resistant in the obese Zucker rat. Endurance training reduces muscle insulin resistance, but the effects of a single acute exercise session on muscle insulin resistance in the obese Zucker rat are unknown. Therefore, insulin responsiveness of muscle glucose uptake was measured in 15-week-old obese rats either 1, 48, or 72 hours after two hours of intermittent exercise (30:30 min; work:rest). Hindlimbs of sedentary lean (LS) and obese (OS) rats and exercised obese (OE) rats were perfused after a 10-hour fast under both basal (0 mU x ml(-1)) and maximal (20 mU x ml(-1)) insulin concentrations to measure net glucose uptake. Insulin responsiveness of net glucose uptake was significantly reduced in OS compared to LS (8.5 +/- 1.6 vs 15.3 +/- 2.0 micromol x g(-1) x h(-1), respectively). Compared to OS, insulin responsiveness of net glucose uptake was significantly increased by 56% and 80% at 1 hour and 48 hours after acute exercise. However, 72 hours after acute exercise, the increased insulin responsiveness of net glucose uptake was no longer evident. These results indicate that improved responsiveness of muscle glucose uptake persists for at least 48 hours after two hours of acute intermittent exercise in 15-week-old obese Zucker rats.