Subclinical hypothyroidism and conception in a woman with primary infertility

Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrinological problem affecting women who present with ovulatory dysfunction resulting in infertility.It’s milder form, subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) characterized by mildly elevated thyroid stimulating hormone levels and normal free thyroxine levels, may also contribute to disturbed reproductive function. We report a case highlighting the beneficial effects of levothyroxine replacement therapy in women with subclinical hypothyroidsm presenting with infertility

Tuberculosis of the sella masquerading as pituitary adenoma

Tuberculosis of the central nervous system is an ominous consequence of disseminated tuberculosis which usually manifests as meningitis, an abscess or rarely as a tuberculoma. Though infrequent, intracranial tuberculomas especially within the sella, are notorious for simulating as pituitary tumors, by jeopardising pituitary hormonal function and exerting compressive effects on adjacent intracranial structures. However, a prompt evaluation can help tackle this diagnostic challenge with timely institution of anti-tuberculosis treatment, (ATT). Although in rare instances surgery may be a favourable option especially for managing extensive intrasellar masses, ATT usually facilitates resolution of such lesions. Long term hormonal replacement therapy may be required for established endocrine dysfunction

Mechanical properties of sintered La9.33Si2Ge4O26 oxyapatite materials for SOFC electrolytes

Mechanical properties of La9.33Si2Ge4O26 prepared by mechanical alloying and subsequent sintering at 1300–1400 °C for 1 h were evaluated. Hardness and Young's modulus values in the range 7.3–9.6 GPa and 106–135 GPa, respectively, were obtained from nanohardness tests. The fracture toughness values derived from the Palmqvist method varied between 3.5 and 3.9 MPa m1/2 from classical microindentation test with an indentation load of 9.8 N. Yield stress (σy) was determined by inverse analysis from microhardness tests. The maximum value of σy (1829 MPa) was obtained for the sample sintered at 1400 °C showing the highest density (5.42 g/cm3)

A revolução da Gabriela: o ano de 1977 em Portugal

Este trabalho apresenta os contextos da visionação, em 1977, da telenovela brasileira Gabriela, Cravo e Canela. Justifica-se a escolha do Corpus – dois diários (Diário de Notícias, Diário de Lisboa) e dois semanários (Expresso e O Jornal) explicitando-se as metodologias utilizadas na análise de imprensa. Faz-se o levantamento da agenda da telenovela Gabriela, Cravo e Canela nos quatro jornais seleccionados, confrontando-a com outra agenda, mais lata, da expansão e divulgação da indústria cultural brasileira em Portugal. Considera-se que o êxito desta telenovela antecipa a emergência de uma nova sociedade e estilos de vida, bem como uma outra imagem da mulher, centrados em novos valores, no consumo e nos media.This work describes the reception of the Brazilian telenovela Gabriela, Cravo e Canela in the year of 1977 in Portugal. The corpus is composed of two daily newspapers (Diário de Notícias, Diário de Lisboa) and two weekly papers (Expresso e O Jornal); The methods of analisys are presented. Afterwards the Agenda of the telenovela Gabriela... is identified in these newspapers and compared with the Agenda of Brasilian Cultural Industry in Portugal. The conclusion aims at a relation between the exhibition of the telenovela and the rise of a new society with new women’s models and life styles

Uso de dimetil-formamida associada ou não ao glicerol na criopreservação de sêmen caprino Use of dimethylformamide associated or not with glycerol for goat semen cryopreservation

O objetivo neste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da dimetil-formamida na criopreservação de sêmen caprino, por meio de testes in vitro. As partidas de sêmen foram congeladas com os diluidores leite desnatado-gema, associado a diferentes crioprotetores e concentrações: 7% de glicerol (T1); 3,5% de glicerol e 3,5% de dimetil-formamida (T2) e 5% de dimetil-formamida (T3). O sêmen foi centrifugado e envasado em palhetas de 0,5 mL, sendo resfriado por 40 minutos, atingindo 5,0°C e permanecendo nesta temperatura por mais 1 hora e 20 minutos. Os parâmetros avaliados in vitro foram a motilidade progressiva e o vigor espermático, a integridade acrossômica, a integridade da membrana plasmática (HO) e a reação acrossômica. Observou-se perda de 30,0% da motilidade inicial quando as amostras foram submetidas aos procedimentos de criopreservação. A perda de integridade da membrana plasmática, avaliada pelo teste hiposmótico (HO) foi de 19%. As lesões de acrossoma aumentaram em 3% durante o teste de termo-resistência (TTR) lento. Não houve diferença entre os tratamentos quanto aos aspectos de motilidade nos tempos de 0,00; 0,05; e 1,00 horas do TTR e vigor em todos os tempos. No tempo de 2,00 horas do TTR, registrou-se diferença entre os tratamentos 1 e 2, de modo que a motilidade no tratamento 2 foi superior às demais. Os valores de integridade de membrana plasmática, integridade acrossômica e reação acrossômica pós-descongelamento não diferiram entre os tratamentos, indicando que a dimetil-formamida não foi superior ao glicerol na manutenção da qualidade espermática após a criopreservação.<br>The objective of this trial was to evaluate the efficiency of dimethylformamide on cryopreservation of goat semen using semen physical analyses and complementary tests. Alpine and Saanen bucks from the Dairy Goat Experimental Station- DZO were used. Semen samples were frozen with a yolk-skimmed milk diluent and cryoprotectors with different concentrations as follows: 7% glycerol (T1), 3.5% glycerol plus 3.5% dimethylformamide (T2) or 5% dimethylformamide (T3). Semen was centrifuged, diluted, and bottled in 0.5 mL straws followed by cooling for 40 minutes until reach 5.0°C and kept at this temperature for additional 80 minutes. Samples were then exposed to liquid nitrogen vapor for 15 minutes and finally frozen. Thawing was done in a waterbath at 37°C for 50 seconds. The following variables were evaluated in vitro: sperm progressive motility and vigor, acrosomal integrity and reaction, and plasmatic membrane integrity. The cryopreservation procedures reduced 30.0% of the initial motility and 19% of plasmatic membrane integrity that was evaluated using the hyposmotic swelling test (HOST). It was observed an increaseof 3% in acrosomal lesions when samples were submitted to a slow thermoresistance test (TRT). No significant differences in sperm motility were observed among treatments at 0, 5, and 60 minutes of TRT as well as in sperm vigor at all TRT times. However, at 120 minutes of TRT a significant difference in sperm motility was found comparing T1 and T2 while T3 was intermediate. There were no significant differences on plasmatic membrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and post-thawing acrossomal reaction across treatments. It can be concluded that dimethylformamide can be a viable alternative for goat semen cryopreservation used alone or in association with glycerol

New Size Measurements in Population Ecology

In organizational ecology, the analysis of the impact of competition between populations on vital ratios is relatively underdeveloped. This paper addresses this issue by developing new competition measurements that focus on the importance of organizational size. The application of these measurements in the case of competition between organizational subforms in a population, and their impact on mortality rates, demonstrate their usefulness for modelling competition. Specifically, the results show how levels of competition between firms in a population can be more clearly analysed when the rival population mass or concentration indices are used. Copyright Springer 2006competition between subforms, probability of failure, the cross effects of concentration model, the cross effects of density model, the cross effects of mass model, C41, L11, L25, M29,