Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Nodule diameter was considered to be related with thyroid cancer. Whether under ultrasound (US) guidance or not, FNAB has some limitations particularly in big nodules. In this study, we aimed to evaluate diagnostic value of US-FNAB in nodules bigger than 3 cm or more. We also compared ultrasonographical features of benign and malignant nodules.Material and methods: Data of 267 patients operated for nodulary goiter were screened retrospectiv...

Introduction: As in most sub-Saharan Africa, hypertension and its complications are increasingly common in Nigeria, where malaria is hyper-endemic. We established a birth cohort in Ibadan to assess the impact of maternal malaria on blood pressure (BP) in Nigerian infants over their first year.Methods: Healthy pregnant women with singleton pregnancies were followed to delivery. They had regular blood films for malaria parasites through to delivery. Growth...

Myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF)-A is a Rho signaling-responsive co-activator of serum response factor (SRF). In this study we investigated roles of MRTF-A in the process underlying vascular diseases by using two different mouse models of vascular diseases. MRTF-A expression was significantly higher in the wire-injured femoral arteries of wild-type mice and in the atherosclerotic aortic tissues of ApoE−/− mice than in healthy control tissues...

Wnt developmental pathways, have been implicated in a number of cancers. Wnt signaling proteins activate the B-catenin transcription factor which induces transcription of the oncogenes Cyclin D1 and Myc (Luo et al. 2007). Elston et al. (2008) found that Wnt inhibitors were down-regulated in pituitary tumours. Overexpression of Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis,correlates with poor prognosis and drug resistance (Altieri 2003, Ghosh et al. 20...

Heterozygous mutations of GATA3, a dual zinc-finger transcription factor, cause the hypoparathyroidism, deafness and renal dysplasia (HDR) syndrome. To study the role of GATA3 in parathyroid function we have investigated Gata3+/− mice for hypoparathyroidism. Gata3+/− and Gata3+/+ mice were challenged at weaning with a diet low in calcium (0.001%) and vitamin D (0.0 IU/g). The low calcium-vitamin D diet led to a ...

Abnormalities of calcium homeostasis such as secondary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism, and renal osteodystrophy often occur in patients with kidney failure. However, investigations of the underlying molecular mechanisms have been hampered by the lack of available tissues from patients and the lack of suitable animal models. We therefore sought to overcome this limitation by investigating mice treated with the chemical mutagen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea and identified...

Orbital fat (OF) represents a highly specialised adipose tissue depot that occupies a confined space behind the eyeball known as the orbit. OF fills most of the orbital cavity providing support to the delicate structures that link the eye to the brain, and protects against sight-threatening mechanical and inflammatory trauma. Subcutaneous (SC) and omental (OM) adipose tissues are highly active endocrine organs, regulated in part by glucocorticoids (GCs). The pre-receptor regul...

Background: Chromogranin A and B (CgA, CgB) are widely used as markers of neuroendocrine tumour (NET) disease. However, the sensitivity of the test is variable and the value of CgB measurement is unclear. We thus sought to review 3 years of CgA and CgB requests made in our hospital.Methods: CgA and CgB were measured at the Hammersmith Hospital. Case notes were reviewed in each of these patients.Results: There were 520 tests perform...

Background and methodology: There are few data on changes in thyroxine requirement in the long-term follow-up of hypothyroid patients. We carried out a retrospective analysis to evaluate the long-term changes in thyroxine dose and its relationship with age, gender, thyroxine dose at registration and aetiology of hypothyroidism.Results: We identified 5,029 patients from our hospital based thyroid register with a minimum of 4 years follow-up (88% female, 7...

Objective: to study nerve functions in IDDM at an early stage to evaluate the prevalence of neuropathy.Subjects and methods: The study included 20 children with IDDM and 10 healthy subjects as controls. Patients were subjected to clinical evaluation of neuropathic manifestations. Laboratory tests included fasting blood glucose and serum glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Electrophysiological study included motor conduction studies of the median and deep perone...