Familial Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis in Blacks

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis is an uncommon disease that has rarely been reported in blacks. Historical, clinical, and pathological findings in three black patients, in addition to those previously reported in the literature, suggest that the spectrum of the disease is identical in both blacks and whites. Considering the disease as either different or unknown in the black population is probably not justified

Ulceroglandular Tularemia: A Typical Case of Relapse

Tularemia is an infectious disease that continues to occur sporadically and in epidemics in the United States. It is characterized as an acute febrile illness with constitutional symptoms associated with skin, glandular, respiratory, or gastrointestinal involvement. Tularemia usually can be treated effectively with streptomycin. Relapse most often occurs when patients are treated with bacteriostatic agents such as chloramphenicol or tetracycline. We present a case of ulceroglandular tularemia distinguished by its relapse after initial streptomycin/doxycycline therapy and subsequent slow response to additional streptomycin

Neurobehavioral Symptoms in Mild Primary Hyperparathyroidism: Related to Hypercalcemia but not Improved by Parathyroidectomy

The neurobehavioral symptomatology of severe primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has been thoroughly described. Less is known about more mild cases. We evaluated 34 patients with mild PHPT and followed 19 for an average of six months. Of those cases followed, ten had parathyroidectomy (PTX). Patients with no neurobehavioral abnormalities had the lowest serum calcium levels (10.9 ± 0.88 mg/dL), patients with signs of affective disorder had intermediate levels (11.25 ± 0.66 mg/dL), and patients with signs of cerebral dysfunction had the highest levels (12.17 ± 1.17 mg/dL). Serum calcium significantly correlated with motor speed, psychomotor speed, fluid intelligence, and short term memory. However, in the follow-up of patients, PTX seemed to have no effect on their behavior Serum calcium correlates with both type and severity of the neurobehavioral abnormalities found in mild PHPT. However, most of the evidence indicates that PTX does not produce any improvement of these abnormalities, even when the hypercalcemia elevation is corrected

Secondary Osteoporosis: Endocrine and Metabolic Causes of Bone Mass Deterioration

License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Secondary osteoporosis results from medical conditions or treatments that interfere with the attainment of peak bone mass and/or may predispose to accelerated bone loss. Although secondary osteoporosis is less common, it is becoming more frequently diagnosed. Apart from the welldefined risk of secondary osteoporosis in patients requiring long-term corticosteroids therapy, an increasing list of dietary, lifestyle, endocrine, metabolic, and other causes of bone mass deterioration has been identified (Table 1). Recently it has been demonstrated that, in contrast to primary osteoporosis which is associated with age, gender, and family history, secondary osteoporosis shows a prevalence in men similar to that in women (men 21 % versus women 17.5%

Chemical cues and pheromones in the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)

Chemical cues and pheromones guide decisions in organisms throughout the animal kingdom. The neurobiology, function, and evolution of olfaction are particularly well described in insects, and resulting concepts have driven novel approaches to pest control. However, aside from several exceptions, the olfactory biology of vertebrates remains poorly understood. One exception is the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), which relies heavily upon olfaction during reproduction. Here, we provide a broad review of the chemical cues and pheromones used by the sea lamprey during reproduction, including overviews of the sea lamprey olfactory system, chemical cues and pheromones, and potential applications to population management. The critical role of olfaction in mediating the sea lamprey life cycle is evident by a well-developed olfactory system. Sea lamprey use chemical cues and pheromones to identify productive spawning habitat, coordinate spawning behaviors, and avoid risk. Manipulation of olfactory biology offers opportunities for management of populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes, where the sea lamprey is a destructive invader. We suggest that the sea lamprey is a broadly useful organism with which to study vertebrate olfaction because of its simple but well-developed olfactory organ, the dominant role of olfaction in guiding behaviors during reproduction, and the direct implications for vertebrate pest management