Endocrine Abstracts

A 29 year old male and his wife presented with an 18 month history of primary infertility. History and initial investigations suggested no major female component but a semen analysis revealed azoospermia. There was no history of any sexual dysfunction and neither partner was receiving any medication. Clinical examination revealed normal secondary sexual characteristics. Both testicles were of normal consistency with a volume of approximately 15mls but a 4x2cm mass was palpable...

Introduction: We report a case of a parathyroid carcinoma with very unusual and revealing features.Case report: DAB, male aged 66 was subjected to subtotal gastrectomy because of a localized gastric adenocarcinoma (intestinal type). A mild primary hyperparathyroidism (PTH<200 pg/ml) was simultaneously found. Calcium oxalate nephrolythiasis at 50 years was noted. Sonography revealed a nodular lesion in the right lower thyroid pole, while NMR showed a ...

The CRF-related ligand Urocortin 3 (Ucn 3) is expressed in discrete subcortical areas with highest mRNA levels in the medial amgydala (MEA), hypothalamic median preoptic nucleus (MePO) and the rostral part of the perifornical hypothalamic area (PFN). Close anatomical association between major Ucn 3 terminal fields and the type 2-CRF receptor in hypothalamus, lateral septum and medial amygdala suggest it is well placed to modulate physiological processes including behavioural, ...

Urocortins are the endogenous ligands for the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type-2 which is highly expressed in skeletal muscle where it regulates glucose metabolism and muscle mass. Transgenic mice overexpressing Urocortin-3 (UCN3+) show accelerated peripheral glucose disposal and increased skeletal muscle mass with myocyte hypertrophy associated with decreased energy efficiency and improved glucose tolerance. We aimed to determine whether this phenotype would confe...