What Influences Farmers to Use Farm Safety and Health Information?

Farm safety and health outreach professionals can more effectively develop, design, package, and deliver pertinent educational messages if they understand farmers\u27 preferences regarding how such messages are presented. Farmers were surveyed about what influences their use of safety and health educational resources. Responses indicated farmers\u27 preferences and perceptions related to wording, images, elements that encourage or discourage use of materials, and lengths of resources. Among the significant results were findings that images reflective of farm operations similar to their own and nontechnical terminology would increase farmers\u27 use of resources. Results provide Extension educators with research-based data that can guide their preparation of impactful farm safety and health materials

Video Companion: Rhythm of the Seasons... A Journey Beyond Loss

Viewer guide, with four activities, to increase personal and community action to prevent farm injuries.To order the video, see: http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu Search for Rhythm of the Seasons.https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/extension_ag_pubs/1003/thumbnail.jp

Assessing Rural Coalitions That Address Safety and Health Issues

Community coalitions can help national organizations meet their objectives. Farm Safety 4 Just Kids depends on coalitions of local people to deliver farm safety and health educational programs to children and their families. These coalitions are called chapters. An evaluation was developed to identify individual coalition\u27s strengths and weaknesses. Ten FS4JK chapter locations conducted a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and community focus groups to identify what strategies could be incorporated to improve each coalition\u27s functionality. The findings will help strengthen program delivery, which will guide the national organization toward a more effective support system

Augmentation of Nr4a3 and suppression of Fshb expression in the pituitary gland of female Annexin A5 null mouse

GnRH enhances the expression of annexin A5 (ANXA5) in pituitary gonadotropes, and ANXA5 enhances gonadotropin secretion. However, the impact of ANXA5 regulation on the expression of pituitary hormone genes remains unclear. Here, using quantitative PCR, we demonstrated that ANXA5 deficiency in female mice reduced the expression of Fshb and Gh in their pituitary glands. Transcriptome analysis confirmed a specific increase in Nr4a3 mRNA expression in addition to lower levels of Fshb expression in ANXA5-deficient female pituitary glands. This gene was then found to be a GnRH-inducible immediate early gene, and its increased expression caused protein to accumulate in the nucleus after administration of a GnRH agonist in LβT2 cells, which are an in vitro pituitary gonadotrope model. The increase in ANXA5 protein levels in LβT2 cells clearly suppressed Nr4a3 expression. siRNA-mediated inhibition of Nr4a3 expression increased Fshb expression. The results revealed that GnRH stimulates Nr4a3 and Anxa5 sequentially. NR4A3 suppression of Fshb may be necessary for later massive secretion of FSH by GnRH in gonadotropes, and Nr4a3 would be nega- tively regulated by ANXA5 to increase FSH secretion

Discovery of Yttrium, Zirconium, Niobium, Technetium, and Ruthenium Isotopes

Currently, thirty-four yttrium, thirty-five zirconium, thirty-four niobium, thirty-five technetium, and thirty-eight ruthenium isotopes have been observed and the discovery of these isotopes is discussed here. For each isotope a brief synopsis of the first refereed publication, including the production and identification method, is presented.Comment: To be published in Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Table

Stimulation der TSH-Sekretion durch TRF-Belastung bei hypothalamischen und hypophysären Krankheitsbildern

1. Die Antworten der Serum-TSH-Spiegel (Thyreoidea-stimulierendes Hormon) auf TRF-Injektion (Thyrotropin Releasing Factor) bei 8 Normalpersonen und 37 z. T. zweimal untersuchten Patienten mit hypophysärer oder hypothalamischer Erkrankung werden mitgeteilt. 2. Hypophysektomierte Patienten mit intrasellären Tumoren (N=12) zeigten keine oder nur subnormale Anstiege der TSH-Spiegel. 3. Von 9 präoperativ untersuchten Patienten mit intrasellärem HVL-Adenom hatten 3 eine sekundäre Hypothyreose. Diese 3 reagierten dennoch mit einem normalen Anstieg der TSH-Spiegel. Dieser Befund schränkt die diagnostische Wertigkeit der TRF-Belastung zur Differenzierung hypophysärer und hypothalamischer sekundärer Hypothyreosen ein. Die 6 euthyreoten Patienten dieser Gruppe zeigten erwartungsgemäß einen normalen TSH-Anstieg. 4. Bei den Patienten mit sekundärer Hypothyreose bei suprasellärem Tumor oder hypothalamischer Erkrankung (N=7) fand sich mit einer Ausnahme ein normaler oder ein erhöhter TSH-Anstieg. Die Bedeutung des Ausschlusses einer primären Hypothyreose wurde dargestellt, da diese Erkrankung ebenfalls durch erhöhte TSH-Anstiege bei TRF-Belastung charakterisiert ist. 5. Je ein Patient aus der Gruppe der aktiven (N=7) und der behandelten (N=6) Akromegalie zeigten einen nicht auf eine primäre Hypothyreose zurückführbaren erhöhen TSH-Anstieg, dessen Rolle für das gehäufte Auftreten einer Struma bei Akromegalie zu diskutieren ist.1. The response of the serum TSH levels after i.v. administration of 500 µg TRF have been determined in normal controls (n=8) and in 37 patients with pituitary tumour or hypothalamic disease. 2. Following hypophysectomy in patients with intrasellar tumours (n=12), the increment in TSH levels after TRF was absent or diminished. 3. Secondary hypothyroidism was found pre-operatively in 3 of 9 patients with intrasellar pituitary adenoma. In these 3 patients, however, a normal TSH response to TRF was found. This result diminishes the diagnostic value of the TRF test regarding the distinction of pituitary and hypothalamic secondary hypothyroidism. A normal TSH response was found, as expected, in the 6 euthyroid patients of this group. 4. The TSH response was found to be normal or elevated in all but one of 7 patients with secondary hypothyroidism due to suprasellar tumour or hypothalamic disease. Primary hypothyroidism is also characterized by an increased TSH response and has to be excluded. 5. Among the patients with active (n=7) or treated (n=6) acromegaly, increased TSH response was found twice, i.e. in one patient of each of the two groups. In both patients, primary hypothyroidism could be excluded. The relevance of this increased TSH response for goitrogenesis in acromegaly is discussed

The control of reproductive physiology and behavior by gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) controls the reproductive physiology and behavior of vertebrates by stimulating synthesis and release of gonadotropin from the pituitary gland. In 2000, another hypothalamic neuropeptide, gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), was discovered in quail and found to be an inhibiting factor for gonadotropin release. GnIH homologs are present in the brains of vertebrates, including birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish. These peptides, categorized as RF amide-related peptides (RFRPs), possess a characteristic LPXRF-amide (X = L or Q) motif at their C-termini. GnIH/RFRP precursor mRNA encodes a polypeptide that is possibly cleaved into three mature peptides in birds and two in mammals. The names of these peptides are GnIH, GnIH-related peptide-1 (GnIH-RP-1) and GnIH-RP-2 in birds, and RFRP-1 and RFRP-3 in mammals. GnIH/RFRP is synthesized in neurons of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in birds and the dorsomedial hypothalamic area in mammals. GnIH neurons project to the median eminence, thus providing a functional neuroanatomical infrastructure to regulate anterior pituitary function. In quail, GnIH inhibits gonadal activity by decreasing synthesis and release of gonadotropin. The widespread distribution of GnIH/RFRP immunoreactive fibers in all animals tested suggests various actions within the brain. In accordance, GnIH/RFRP receptor mRNA is also expressed widely in the brain and the pituitary. GnIH/RFRP immunoreactive axon terminals are in probable contact with GnRH neurons in birds and mammals, and we recently demonstrated expression of GnIH receptor mRNA in GnRH-I and GnRH-II neurons in European starlings. Thus, GnIH/RFRP may also inhibit gonadotropin synthesis and release by inhibiting GnRH neurons in addition to having direct actions on the pituitary gland. Intracerebroventricular administration of GnIH/RFRP further inhibits reproductive behaviors in songbirds and rodents, possibly via direct actions on the GnRH system. The expression of GnIH/RFRP is regulated by melatonin which is an internal indicator of day length in vertebrates. Stress stimuli also regulate the expression of GnIH/RFRP in songbirds and rodents. Accordingly, GnIH/RFRP may serve as a transducer of environmental information and social interactions into endogenous physiology and behavior of the animal. Recently, it was shown that GnIH/RFRP and its receptor are also expressed in the gonads of birds, rodents and primates. In sum, the existing data suggest that GnIH/RFRP is an important mediator of reproductive function acting at the level of the brain, pituitary, and the gonad in birds and mammals