Thyroid hemiagenesis with postpartum silent thyroiditis

A 28-year-old woman with thyroid hemiagenesis, who had been diagnosed as having Graves' disease, became pregnant during the course of methimazole treatment. The treatment was terminated in the second trimester. She delivered a normal infant at full term. She became thyrotoxic 3 months after the delivery, hypothyroid 6 months after the delivery, and finally euthyroid 11 months after the delivery without undergoing any treatment. This clinical course indicates that she developed silent thyroiditis after the delivery. A diagnosis of thyroid hemiagenesis was made on the basis of ultrasonography of the thyroid and 99mTc-pertechnetate thyroid scintiscan.     

Elevated serum levels of interleukin-10 in children with acute rubella infection.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is known to be an anti-inflammatory cytokine which inhibits cell growth and cytokine production of both Th1 and Th2 cells. Using a human IL-10 ELISA kit we investigated whether serum IL-10 levels increased during the acute and convalescent stages in 45 children with rubella infections. Serum levels of IL-10 were markedly elevated in rubella patients during the acute stage, compared with those at the convalescent stage and those in healthy age-matched children (mean +/- SEM): 18.5 +/- 3.4 vs. 6.0 +/- 0.6 vs. 7.9 +/- 1.3 pg/ml. IL-10 levels determined 5 d after the onset of the disease had returned to the normal range. In patients with rubella, there were significant negative correlations between serum IL-10 levels and both rubella virus-specific IgM and IgG antibodies. These findings suggest that IL-10 may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute rubella infections.     

Gender differences in masticatory function in elderly adults with natural dentition

Odontology - The purpose of this study was to clarify the presence or absence of gender differences in masticatory function in elderly adults with completely natural dentition. Fifty-six elderly...     

Increased plasma levels of thioredoxin in patients with glucose intolerance

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of glucose intolerance on oxidative stress in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: The patients were divided into 3 groups, diabetes mellitus (DM), IGT or normal glucose tolerance (NGT) according to the criteria of the American Diabetes Association. PATIENTS: The present study consisted of 178 consecutive patients who underwent diagnostic coronary arteriography and a 75-g glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: The level of plasma thioredoxin, a marker of oxidative stress was measured in every patient during the fasting state. The levels of plasma thioredoxin were significantly higher in the DM and IGT groups than the NGT group. Furthermore, we found that there was a positive association between thioredoxin levels and glycosylated hemoglobin (sigma=0.225, p=0.018). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, glucose intolerance (DM or IGT) was only independently associated with the high levels of thioredoxin. The levels of plasma thioredoxin were significantly higher in the CAD group compared to the non-CAD group. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, high levels of thioredoxin, male, age and hypertension were independently associated with the presence of CAD. CONCLUSION: Glucose intolerance was associated with the high levels of thioredoxin. High levels of thioredoxin were related to the presence of CAD. The measurement of thioredoxin as the marker of oxidative stress may be useful for monitoring the development of the cardiovascular diseases.     

Successful treatment of hemochromatosis with renal tubular dysgenesis in a preterm infant

We report the first surviving case of neonatal hemochromatosis with renal tubular dysgenesis. Renal failure was treated with peritoneal dialysis. Although hepatic failure from neonatal hemochromatosis was progressive, repeated exchange transfusions improved jaundice and coagulopathy. The patient gained weight and received a liver transplantation from her father.     

The Comparative Experiences of Women in Control: Diabetes Self-Management Education in a Virtual World

The purpose was to characterize participants’ experiences of a diabetes self-management (DSM) education program delivered via a virtual world (VW) versus a face-to-face (F2F) format. Participants included a randomly selected sample of participants who completed the Women in Control study. Four focus groups were conducted with 32 participants. Four researchers coded the data and conducted a qualitative thematic analysis. Four overarching themes were identified. Three domains apply to both VW and F2F formats, including (1) the value of DSM knowledge gained, (2) cultivating DSM attitudes and skills, and (3) the value of peer-derived social support. The fourth domain is labeled positive technological development for DSM (VW condition only). VW and F2F groups both reported mastery of DSM knowledge, attitudes, and skills, and there were no differences in peer-derived social support between groups. The technological aspects of VW participation afforded VW participants a unique sense of personal agency and diabetes self-efficacy not reported by F2F participants. DSM education in a VW is feasible and educational outcomes are similar to a F2F classroom experience. Furthermore, learning DSM skills in a VW offers unique advantages in supporting personal agency for health behavior change. Further research is warranted.     

Targeting the hedgehog signaling pathway with interacting peptides to Patched-1

Background  

The hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is aberrantly activated in many cancers. Overproduction of sonic hedgehog (Shh), a ligand in the Hh pathway, increases Hh signaling activity by inhibiting Patched-1 (Ptch1), a suppressive receptor in the Hh pathway. The purpose of this study was to establish a novel strategy for treating pancreatic cancer and other Hh-dependent cancers through control of the tumor-suppressive function of Ptch1.