Dual thyroid ectopia

Ectopic thyroid gland is a rare embryological fault of thyroid development. Dual ectopic thyroid is even more rare and only 8 cases have been reported in the literature. The author presents a case of dual ectopic thyroid in a 16-year-old boy with an anterior neck mass, which is gradually growing in size particularly in the last 2 years. The initial diagnosis was thyroglossal duct cyst. Thyroid function test revealed elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone. Ultrasound of the neck did not show thyroid gland in its normal pretracheal position. Thyroid scan (Technetium 99) revealed the diagnosis of dual thyroid ectopia (lingual and subhyoid).     

Influence of acetylcholine levels on the binding of a SPECT nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ligand [123I]5-I-A-85380

Although in vitro theory indicates that ligand binding is sensitive to competition with neurotransmitters, only some imaging ligands have shown such competition in vivo. The purpose of this study was to determine whether increases in acetylcholine (ACh) levels induced by an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, physostigmine, inhibit in vivo binding of [(123)I]5-iodo-3-(2(S)-2-azetidinyl-methoxy) pyridine (5-I-A-85380), a single photon emission computed tomography ligand for the high-affinity type nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR). Baboons were used for seven studies with a bolus plus constant infusion equilibrium paradigm. After achieving equilibrium at 5 h, physostigmine (0.02 (n = 1), 0.067 (n = 3), and 0.2 (n = 3) mg/kg) was administered intravenously and data were acquired for up to 8 h. To confirm equilibrium conditions, [(123)I]5-I-A-85380 plasma levels were measured in four studies, including all studies with 0.2 mg/kg physostigmine. Prior to physostigmine administration, thalamic activities were stable, with changes of 1.1%/h or less, except in one study with a gradual increase of 4.2%/h. Thalamic activities were decreased by 15% in one study with 0.067 mg/kg and 14-17% in all studies with 0.2 mg/kg physostigmine administration (P = 0.009). In these studies with 0.2 mg/kg physostigmine administration, [(123)I]5-I-A-85380 plasma levels showed a transient or a sustained increase after physostigmine administration that would have increased thalamic activities. These results suggest that elevated ACh levels induced by physostigmine can effectively compete in vivo with [(123)I]5-I-A-85380 binding at nAChRs. However, decreased thalamic activities could have been caused by other mechanisms, including internalization of the receptor with an associated decreased affinity for radioligand.     

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among Omani adults

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome by age and sex in the Omani population as defined by the third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III [ATP III]) of North America. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2001 containing a probability random sample of 1,419 Omani adults aged > or =20 years living in the city of Nizwa. The metabolic syndrome, defined by the ATP III, was defined as having three or more of the following abnormalities: waist circumference >102 cm in men and >88 cm in women, serum triglycerides > or =150 mg/dl (1.69 mmol/l), HDL cholesterol <40 mg/dl (1.04 mmol/l) in men and <50 mg/dl (1.29 mmol/l) in women, systolic blood pressure > or =130 mmHg and/or diastolic > or =85 mmHg or on treatment for hypertension, and fasting serum glucose > or =110 mg/dl (6.1 mmol/l) or on treatment for diabetes. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 21.0%. The crude prevalence was slightly lower (17.0%). The age-adjusted prevalence was 19.5% among men and 23.0% among women (P = 0.236). Low HDL cholesterol was the most common component (75.4%) of the metabolic syndrome among the study population followed by abdominal obesity (24.6%). Abdominal obesity was markedly higher in women (44.3%) than in men (4.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in Oman is similar to that in developed countries. Future prevention and control strategies should not overlook the importance of noncommunicable disease risk factors in rapidly developing countries.     

Assessing CHD and hypertension in minority ethnic communities

Hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke rates are higher in minority ethnic communities than their European counterparts. A health-needs assessment was undertaken to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed/asymptomatic hypertension among these communities in a primary care setting. Preliminary results indicate the prevalence to be 32.49 per cent. A number of strategies are discussed for improving the health care of minority ethnic communities and reducing health inequalities.     

The ratio of single- to double-strand DNA breaks and their absolute values determine cell death pathway

Bleomycin is a cytotoxic antibiotic that generates DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) and DNA single-strand breaks (SSB). It is possible to introduce known quantities of bleomycin molecules into cells. Low amounts kill the cells by a slow process termed mitotic cell death, while high amounts produce a fast process that has been termed pseudoapoptosis. We previously showed that these types of cell death are a direct consequence of the DSB generated by bleomycin. Here, we use deglyco-bleomycin, a bleomycin derivative lacking the carbohydrate moiety. Although this molecule performs the same nucleophilic attacks on DNA as bleomycin, we show that deglyco-bleomycin is at least 100 times less toxic to Chinese hamster fibroblasts than bleomycin. In fact, deglyco-bleomycin treatment results in apoptosis induction. In contrast, however, deglyco-bleomycin was found to generate almost exclusively SSB. Our results suggest that more than 150 000 SSB per cell are required to trigger apoptosis in Chinese hamster fibroblasts and that SSB are 300 times less toxic than DSB. Taken together with previous studies on bleomycin, our data demonstrates that cells can die by apoptosis, mitotic cell death, or pseudoapoptosis, depending on the number of DNA breaks and on the ratio of SSB to DSB.