Management of pituitary adenomas

Journal ArticleWe present an overview of the management of pituitary adenomas, with discussions of microanatomy, of diagnostic studies of general neuroendocrine function, and of radiologic evaluation. We discuss the diagnosis of pituitary adenoma and its treatment with sections on null cell, prolactin (PRL)-secreting, growth hormone (GH)-secreting, and corticotropin-secreting adenomas and on other secreting tumors. For surgical management, we present an historical background and then focus on the transsphenoidal and transcranial approaches. The use of primary and postoperative radiotherapy (RT) is examined

Особистісні трансформації складових поведінкового компонента професійної діяльності правоохоронців

The author of the article has provided the results of the study of the features of personal transformations of the elements of behavioral component of law enforcement officers’ professional activity at the stage of training in higher educational institutions with specific learning conditions. The interdependent elements of behavioral component of a law enforcement officer’s professional activity have been singled out, namely: the adaptive potential of an individual, skills and behavioral self-regulation styles, individual and business qualities, mechanisms of psychological protection and coping-behavior strategies. The author has diagnosed the features of strategies and models of coping behavior of law enforcement officers at different stages of professional training. So, in difficult life situations it is typical for freshmen to come into contact with others for decision-making. Despite this, they are able to take responsibility and solve problems independently, although they still need support from others. Second-year students tend to work together to achieve mutual goals that coincide and to avoid the risk of failure due to long-term analysis of solution options and possible consequences, they are prone to re-insurance and cautious actions. Third-year students seek support from others (family, friends, colleagues), have the ability to solve problematic, difficult situations with other people, are able to cooperate and behave combining inner strength and politeness to the environment. MA students use practically the same with third-year students a set of models of coping behavior, search for social support and interaction with people. However, they are more prone to cautious actions and weighed decisions than third-year students. It has been determined that law enforcement officers at the stage of professional training are least of all inclined to use passive and asocial coping strategies. Thus, freshmen in difficult situations will not demonstrate caution and aggression, second-year students will not avoid difficulties and behave in asocial way, third-year students are also less likely to engage in antisocial and aggressive actions, and MA students are less likely to act aggressively and avoid solving problems.Представлены результаты исследования особенностей личностных трансформаций составляющих поведенческого компонента профессиональной деятельности правоохранителей на этапе обучения в учреждениях высшего образования со специфическими условиями обучения. Выделены взаимосвязанные составляющие поведенческого компонента профессиональной деятельности правоохранителя. Диагностировано, что в сложных ситуациях курсанты 1 и 3 курсов обучения используют достаточно широкий спектр просоциальных и активных стратегий копинг-поведения. Выяснено, что курсанты 2 курса обучения и слушатели магистратуры наряду с просоциальными действиями склонны к пассивному копинг-поведению.Подано результати дослідження особливостей особистісних трансформацій складових поведінкового компонента професійної діяльності правоохоронців на етапі навчання у закладах вищої освіти зі специфічними умовами навчання. Виокремлено взаємозалежні складові поведінкового компонента професійної діяльності правоохоронця. Діагностовано, що у складних ситуаціях курсанти 1 та 3 курсів навчання використовують досить широкий спектр просоціальних та активних стратегій копінг-поведінки. З’ясовано, що курсанти 2 курсу навчання та слухачі магістратури разом із просоціальними діями схильні до пасивної копінг-поведінки

Ternatin and improved synthetic variants kill cancer cells by targeting the elongation factor-1A ternary complex.

Cyclic peptide natural products have evolved to exploit diverse protein targets, many of which control essential cellular processes. Inspired by a series of cyclic peptides with partially elucidated structures, we designed synthetic variants of ternatin, a cytotoxic and anti-adipogenic natural product whose molecular mode of action was unknown. The new ternatin variants are cytotoxic toward cancer cells, with up to 500-fold greater potency than ternatin itself. Using a ternatin photo-affinity probe, we identify the translation elongation factor-1A ternary complex (eEF1A·GTP·aminoacyl-tRNA) as a specific target and demonstrate competitive binding by the unrelated natural products, didemnin and cytotrienin. Mutations in domain III of eEF1A prevent ternatin binding and confer resistance to its cytotoxic effects, implicating the adjacent hydrophobic surface as a functional hot spot for eEF1A modulation. We conclude that the eukaryotic elongation factor-1A and its ternary complex with GTP and aminoacyl-tRNA are common targets for the evolution of cytotoxic natural products

Breaking the Disk/Halo Degeneracy with Gravitational Lensing

The degeneracy between the disk and the dark matter contribution to galaxy rotation curves remains an important uncertainty in our understanding of disk galaxies. Here we discuss a new method for breaking this degeneracy using gravitational lensing by spiral galaxies, and apply this method to the spiral lens B1600+434 as an example. The combined image and lens photometry constraints allow models for B1600+434 with either a nearly singular dark matter halo, or a halo with a sizable core. A maximum disk model is ruled out with high confidence. Further information, such as the circular velocity of this galaxy, will help break the degeneracies. Future studies of spiral galaxy lenses will be able to determine the relative contribution of disk, bulge, and halo to the mass in the inner parts of galaxies.Comment: Replaced with minor revisions, a typo fixed, and reference added; 21 pages, 8 figures, ApJ accepte

Genetic differentiation of Anopheles gambiae populations from East and West Africa : comparison of microsatellite and allozyme loci

Genetic variation of #Anopheles gambiae$ was analysed to assess interpopulation divergence over a 6000 km distance using short tandem repeat (microsatellite) loci and allozyme loci. Differentiation of populations from Kenya and Senegal measured by allele length variation at five microsatellite loci was compared with estimates calculated from published data on six allozyme loci (Miles, 1978). The average Wright's F(ST) of microsatellite loci (0.016) was lower than that of allozymes (0.036). Slatkin's R(ST) values for microsatellite loci were generally higher than their F(ST) values, but the average R(ST) value was virtually identical (0.036) to the average allozyme F(ST). These low estimates of differentiation correspond to an effective migration index (Nm) larger than 3, suggesting that gene flow across the continent is only weakly restricted. Polymorphism of microsatellite loci was significantly higher than that of allozymes, probably because the former experience considerably higher mutation rates. That microsatellite loci did not measure greater interpopulation divergence than allozyme loci suggested constraints on microsatellite evolution. Alternatively, extensive mosquito dispersal, aided by human transportation during the last century, better explains the low differentiation and the similarity of estimates derived from both types of genetic markers. (Résumé d'auteur

Determination of complex dielectric functions of ion implanted and implanted‐annealed amorphous silicon by spectroscopic ellipsometry

Measuring with a spectroscopic ellipsometer (SE) in the 1.8–4.5 eV photon energy region we determined the complex dielectric function (ϵ = ϵ1 + iϵ2) of different kinds of amorphous silicon prepared by self‐implantation and thermal relaxation (500 °C, 3 h). These measurements show that the complex dielectric function (and thus the complex refractive index) of implanted a‐Si (i‐a‐Si) differs from that of relaxed (annealed) a‐Si (r‐a‐Si). Moreover, its ϵ differs from the ϵ of evaporated a‐Si (e‐a‐Si) found in the handbooks as ϵ for a‐Si. If we use this ϵ to evaluate SE measurements of ion implanted silicon then the fit is very poor. We deduced the optical band gap of these materials using the Davis–Mott plot based on the relation: (ϵ2E2)1/3 ∼ (E− Eg). The results are: 0.85 eV (i‐a‐Si), 1.12 eV (e‐a‐Si), 1.30 eV (r‐a‐Si). We attribute the optical change to annihilation of point defects

A new species in the major malaria vector complex sheds light on reticulated species evolution

Complexes of closely related species provide key insights into the rapid and independent evolution of adaptive traits. Here, we described and studied Anopheles fontenillei sp.n., a new species in the Anopheles gambiae complex that we recently discovered in the forested areas of Gabon, Central Africa. Our analysis placed the new taxon in the phylogenetic tree of the An. gambiae complex, revealing important introgression events with other members of the complex. Particularly, we detected recent introgression, with Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii, of genes directly involved in vectorial capacity. Moreover, genome analysis of the new species allowed us to clarify the evolutionary history of the 3La inversion. Overall, An. fontenillei sp.n. analysis improved our understanding of the relationship between species within the An. gambiae complex, and provided insight into the evolution of vectorial capacity traits that are relevant for the successful control of malaria in Africa

Recovering 3D structural properties of galaxies from SDSS-like photometry

Because of the 3D nature of galaxies, an algorithm for constructing spatial density distribution models of galaxies on the basis of galaxy images has many advantages over surface density distribution approximations. We present a method for deriving spatial structure and overall parameters of galaxies from images and estimate its accuracy and derived parameter degeneracies on a sample of idealised model galaxies. The test galaxies consist of a disc-like component and a spheroidal component with varying proportions and properties. Both components are assumed to be axially symmetric and coplanar. We simulate these test galaxies as if observed in the SDSS project through ugriz filters, thus gaining a set of realistically imperfect images of galaxies with known intrinsic properties. These artificial SDSS galaxies were thereafter remodelled by approximating the surface brightness distribution with a 2D projection of a bulge+disc spatial distribution model and the restored parameters were compared to the initial ones. Down to the r-band limiting magnitude 18, errors of the restored integral luminosities and colour indices remain within 0.05 mag and errors of the luminosities of individual components within 0.2 mag. Accuracy of the restored bulge-to-disc ratios (B/D) is within 40% in most cases, and becomes worse for galaxies with low B/D, but the general balance between bulges and discs is not shifted systematically. Assuming that the intrinsic disc axial ratio is < 0.3, the inclination angles can be estimated with errors < 5deg for most of the galaxies with B/D < 2 and with errors < 15deg up to B/D = 6. Errors of the recovered sizes of the galactic components are below 10% in most cases. In general, models of disc components are more accurate than models of spheroidal components for geometrical reasons.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in RA

Density and Richness of Benthic Invertebrate Populations in the North Sydenham River of Southwestern Ontario (1996-2000) Compared with Those of the St. Clair River (1990-1995)

Richness (the number of invertebrate families/sample site) and density (the number of invertebrates/sq m) of benthic populations in the North Sydenham River were measured and compared with similar estimates for the St. Clair River. Seventeen sample sites were examined from May to October over five consecutive years. At each sample site, particle size distribution of the sediment, sediment temperature, total phosphorous, total nitrogen, total carbon, and water flow rate were measured. Physical and chemical characteristics of the North Sydenham system over the 100 km run examined were less variable than those of the St. Clair. Statistically significant but weak multiple linear correlations were found for richness and density with several of the measured variables. Invertebrate populations in the North Sydenham River were less rich and less dense than those in the downstream reach of the St. Clair and exhibited a different distribution of abundance among the orders of organisms. As in the St. Clair River, some evidence of long term cycling of abundance in several families of invertebrates was found in the North Sydenham