A qualitative analysis of gestational surrogates' healthcare experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: No empirical data are available on the healthcare experiences of surrogates during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine the impact of pandemic-control measures on surrogates' fertility, pregnancy and birthing experiences.

Methods: Sampling frame included eligible surrogates who were actively involved in a surrogacy process at an academic IVF centre during the pandemic (03/2020 to 02/2022).

Pancreatic function in CCK-deficient mice: adaptation to dietary protein does not require CCK.

A CCK-deficient mouse mutant generated by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells was analyzed to determine the importance of CCK for growth and function of the exocrine pancreas and for pancreatic adaptation to dietary changes. RIAs confirmed the absence of CCK in mutant mice and demonstrated that tissue concentrations of the related peptide gastrin were normal. CCK-deficient mice are viable and fertile and exhibit normal body weight.

Molecular structure of the mouse CCK-A receptor gene.

We have cloned the mouse CCK-A receptor gene (Cckar), determined its nucleotide sequence, and analyzed its expression. The receptor protein is encoded in five exons distributed over 9 kb of genomic DNA. Intron/exon borders were determined by comparing the genomic nucleotide sequence with the mouse cDNA sequence obtained by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

Amylase gene structures in primates: retroposon insertions and promoter evolution.

Amylase transcription in the human salivary gland results from the evolutionary juxtaposition of two inserted elements, a gamma-actin pseudogene and an endogenous retrovirus, to create an unusual salivary-specific promoter. We utilized these structures as molecular tags to characterize the amylase genes in extant primates by polymerase chain reaction amplification of promoter fragments from genomic DNA. Six distinct amylase promoter structures were identified, which allowed us to infer the structures of common ancestors and trace the evolution of the modern human amylase promoters.

Xanthogranulomatous perinephritis: unusual cause of renal vein and vena caval thrombosis.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is an uncommon form of chronic renal infection which can be confused clinically, radiographically, and pathologically with renal carcinoma. Occasionally, xanthogranulomatous changes are more prominent in perinephric tissue than in the renal parenchyma itself. We present a case of locally invasive xanthogranulomatous perinephritis associated with thrombosis of the renal vein and inferior vena cava.

Rifampin in the treatment of serious staphylococcal infections.

Eight patients with serious staphylococcal infections such as endocarditis, meningitis, epidural abscess, shunt and graft infections were treated with nafcillin, cephalothin or vancomycin in combination with rifampin. In vitro antibiotic sensitivities demonstrated that the Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were highly sensitive to rifampin with minimum inhibitory and bactericidal levels of .0078-.