Vasoactive intestinal peptide-induced prolactin release in hypothyroid patients

VIP is an established prolactin-releasing factor. VIP gene expression at the anterior pituitary level and the central nervous system is regulated by thyroid hormones. On the other hand, primary hypothyroidism leads in many cases to amenorrhea, galactorrhea and hyperprolactinemia. In this study we assessed prolactin responses to VIP (75 micrograms iv infusion over 12 min) in a group of six hypothyroid women (mean age +/- SE, 38.8 +/- 3.3 yr; serum TSH levels, mU/L, 116.3 +/- 23.9), before treatment and after normalization of thyroid hormone levels during thyroxine (T4) replacement therapy (100-150 micrograms/day over 12-16 weeks). Furthermore, we assessed if VIP infusion had any effects on serum GH levels in these patients. In hypothyroid women, VIP infusion increased serum prolactin concentrations with peak levels being attained at 15 min (28.8 +/- 3.4 micrograms/L). The Area Under the Curve (AUC) was 1921 +/- 103 micrograms/L/2h. PRL responses to VIP were unchanged after T4 therapy, both in terms of peak levels (28.7 +/- 2.2 micrograms/L, NS) and of AUC (2079 +/- 261 micrograms/L/2h, NS). Serum GH levels were unaffected by VIP administration. In conclusion our study shows that, in hypothyroid patients, restoration of normal thyroid hormone levels by thyroxine replacement therapy does not affect lactotroph responsiveness to VIP. Therefore, our data do not support the hypothesis that VIP might contribute to the hypothyroid-induced hyperprolactinemia seen in man.     

Electrophysiological dissociation of recency and recognition memory

Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded during the test phases of two experiments. In experiment 1, subjects first studied two consecutively presented word lists. At test, they were presented with pairs of words, and were required to judge which word had been presented most recently. The test pairs were composed of two previously studied words, one drawn from each list, (Old+Old pairs), one previously studied and one new word (Old+New pairs), or two unstudied words (New+New pairs). At temporo-parietal electrodes, ERPs to Old+Old and Old+New pairs were both reliably more positive-going than those to New+New pairs. At electrode sites overlying prefrontal cortex, ERPs to Old+Old pairs attracting correct recency judgements were more positive, from around 300 ms onwards, than those elicited by the other classes of item, which did not differ from one another. In experiment 2, the test task was changed to one that required discrimination between Old+New items on the one hand, and Old+Old and New+New pairs on the other. ERPs to Old+Old and Old+New pairs once again differed from those to New+New pairs at temporo-parietal sites, but no differences were evident between the ERPs from frontal electrode sites. In line with the evidence from lesion studies, these findings suggest that judgements of relative recency depend upon processes, supported by the prefrontal cortex, additional to those that are necessary for recognition memory. They further suggest that these processes are activated rapidly and selectively in response to pairs of studied items when these must be discriminated on the basis of their relative recency of occurrence.     

beta Recombinase catalyzes inversion and resolution between two inversely oriented six sites on a supercoiled DNA substrate and only inversion on relaxed or linear substrates

The beta recombinase, in the presence of a chromatin-associated protein such as Hbsu, catalyzes DNA resolution or DNA inversion on supercoiled substrates containing two directly or inversely oriented six sites. Hbsu stabilizes the formation of the recombination complex (Alonso, J. C., Weise, F., and Rojo, F. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 2938-2945). In this study we show that resolution by beta recombinase strictly requires supercoiled DNA, but inversion does not. On a substrate with two inversely oriented six sites, beta recombinase catalyzed both resolution and inversion if the DNA was supercoiled but only inversion if the substrate was relaxed or linear. Hbsu was critical for the formation of synaptic complexes; its concentration relative to that of the supercoiled DNA substrate determined whether resolution or inversion products were preferentially formed. The results suggest that the beta recombinase forms unproductive short-lived synaptic complexes between two juxtaposed inversely oriented six sites; the presence of 3 to 13 Hbsu dimers per supercoiled DNA molecule would stabilize a synaptic complex with a relative geometry of the six sites allowing beta recombinase preferentially to achieve resolution. Supercoiling probably helps to overcome an energetic barrier, since resolution does not occur in relaxed DNA. The presence of >30 Hbsu dimers per DNA molecule probably favors the formation of a recombination complex with a different geometry since the reaction is directed preferentially toward DNA inversion.     

Fanconi anemia complementation group E: clinical and cytogenetic data of the first patient

The clinical and cytogenetic data of the first patient proven to belong to the fifth Fanconi anemia complementation group are described. The Turkish boy presented with psychomotoric retardation, growth retardation, retarded bone age, brachycephaly, hypotelorism, epicanthus, syndactyly, brachydactyly, renal dystopia, and cryptorchism. In addition, an asymmetrical skeletal anomaly was seen with a double distal phalanx of the left thumb and hypoplasia of the right thumb. Typical hematological features of the disorder developed, at the age of 2.5 years, about 1 year after diagnosis. Cytogenetic studies confirmed the clinical diagnosis and revealed a spontaneous chromosomal instability and hypersensitivity to the cross-linking agents diepoxybutane and Trenimon. The findings in the patient, who is considered to be the standard for the fifth Fanconi anemia complementation group, are compared with data reported for other patients affected with Fanconi anemia.     

Food intake after gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma: the role of a gastric reservoir

Patients with carcinoma of the stomach who underwent curative resection were randomized to total gastrectomy (n = 49), total gastrectomy and an S-shaped gastric substitute (n = 28) or subtotal gastrectomy (n = 12); all had a Roux-en-Y reconstruction. The gastric substitute and gastric remnant allowed a volume of 400-500 ml to be installed without increments in basal pressures. The corresponding volume in the Roux limb was 100 ml. Energy intake was approximately 120 kJ/kg preoperative weight per day 3 months after operation, and then remained constant. Patients who had subtotal gastrectomy ate less (91.7 kJ/kg preoperative weight) 3 months after operation, but thereafter increased their intake. Patients allocated to have a gastric pouch or subtotal gastrectomy complained more frequently of adverse postprandial symptoms (P < 0.03) as a major cause of reduced calorie intake. The construction of a gastric reservoir did not improve nutritional adaptation after surgery for gastric carcinoma.     

Highly efficient ceramic catalytic blocks with a honeycomb structure

Compositions and technologies are suggested for preparing highly efficient catalyst blocks with a honeycomb structure to be used for reducing nitrogen oxides with ammonia in flue gases from thermal power plants. The blocks have high structural strength and catalytic activity.     

Numerical investigation of the convection of heat-emitting liquid reactor materials taking stratification into account

Conclusions The calculations for the different levels of volume heat release showed that the integral heat fluxes at the lateral and top surfaces are virtually independent of the scenario of convective flow. However, the maximum of the heat flux on the lateral surface in the homogeneous case is 1.5–1.6 times higher than the maximum heat flux in the stratified case. This could result in larger mechanical loads on the reactor vessel and therefore more stringent requirements on the cooling of the outer surface of the reactor vessel. Institute of Fast Reactors, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 76, No. 5, pp. 406–411, May, 1994.