Family satisfaction with intensive care unit communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective multicentre Australian study Family Satisfaction - COVID ICU.

Background: Virtual communication has become common practice during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic because of visitation restrictions.

Aims: The authors aimed to evaluate overall family satisfaction with the intensive care unit (FS-ICU) care involving virtual communication strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Methods: In this prospective multicentre study involving three metropolitan hospitals in Melbourne, Australia, the next of kin (NOK) of all eligible ICU patients between 1 July 2020 and 31 October 2020 were requested to complete an adapted version of the FS-ICU 24-questionnaire.

Differential regulation of the human thyrotropin alpha-subunit promoter by thyroid hormone receptors alpha1 and beta1.

The differential tissue expression of thyroid hormone receptor (TR) isoforms implies that they fulfil different roles in mediating triiodothyronine (T3) regulation. We have examined the differential roles of TR isoforms in mediating T3-dependent repression of the human thyrotropin (TSH)-alpha subunit gene promoter in vitro, and have assessed TR binding characteristics using gel mobility shift assays. Expression of transfected TR in JEG-3 cells revealed that TRalpha1 and TRbeta1 differentially inhibited TSHalpha subunit expression in the presence of T3, with TRbeta1 twice as potent as TRalpha1.

Chimeric strategies for the rational design of bioactive analogs of small peptide hormones.

The aim of this study was to evaluate a variety of synthetic strategies pertinent to the development of chimeric analogs of the structurally divergent nonapeptide hormones arginine vasopressin (AVP) and bradykinin (BK). Single-chain peptides combining AVP and BK directly, AVP(1-9)-BK(1-9) or via a flexible aminohexanoic acid (epsilonAhx) linker, AVP(1-9)-epsilonAhx-BK(1-9), bind with relatively high affinity to the bovine kidney medulla B2a bradykinin receptor (B2a BKR). Significantly, amino-terminal extended chimeric analogs of BK, including AVP(1-9)-BK(1-9) and galanin(1-13)-BK(1-9), are functional B2 BKR agonists.

Renal bradykinin and vasopressin receptors: ligand selectivity and classification.

We studied the specific binding of radiolabeled bradykinin ([3H]BK) and vasopressin ([3H]AVP) to membrane preparations of bovine and porcine kidney medulla. [3H]BK reversibly labeled a single site (Kd = 1.06 nM) in bovine kidney medulla independently of [Mg2+].

Probing the V1a vasopressin receptor binding site with pyroglutamate-substituted linear antagonists.

We have synthesized eight analogues of the linear vasopressin antagonist DTyr(Et)2-Phe3-Gln4-Asn5-Arg6-Pro7-Arg8-Tyr(NH2)9 substituted with L-, or D-, pyroglutamate at position-1, Asn or Val at position-4 and Arg or Met at position 6. All of these peptides bound to the V1a vasopressin receptor with affinities ranging 33.6-5, 470 nM.

Estradiol modulates thyroid hormone regulation of the human glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit gene.

We have examined mechanisms of regulation of the human glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit gene by thyroid hormone (T3) and estradiol. Pituitary-derived GH3 cells were transiently transfected with chimeric constructs comprising between 1,500 and 98 base pairs of human alpha subunit gene 5'-flanking sequence fused to the bacterial gene encoding chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (h alpha CAT) and treated with T3 and estradiol, alone and in combination. In pituitary cells, 98 base pairs of alpha gene 5'-flanking sequence were sufficient to mediate both inhibition of alpha gene promoter activity by T3 and stimulation by estradiol; inhibition of the alpha promoter by T3 was antagonized by estradiol.

Thyroid hormone regulation of human pituitary alpha subunit gene expression.

The thyroid hormone T3 exerts an inhibitory effect upon pre-translational expression of the alpha subunit gene in the anterior pituitary. In the intact animal oestrogen alone is without effect upon alpha gene expression but oestrogen modulates the influence of T3 deficiency upon the alpha gene. T3 effects upon alpha transcription are mediated via sequences within 98 bp of the transcriptional start site of the gene and similar 5' flanking sequences of the alpha gene mediate both T3 regulation and oestrogen modulation of T3 inhibition.

The Corfu delta beta zero thalassemia: a small deletion acts at a distance to selectively abolish beta globin gene expression.

The Corfu delta beta zero thalassemia is characterized by the clinical picture of thalassemia intermedia. In the homozygous state there is a complete absence of hemoglobin (Hb) A and Hb A2 and a high level of Hb F. A DNA fragment containing the gamma and beta globin genes has been cosmid cloned, and the deletion breakpoint region, the beta globin gene and the promoter regions of the gamma globin genes sequenced.

Human globin gene transcription in injected Xenopus oocytes: enhancement by sodium butyrate.

We have studied the expression of the human adult (beta) and foetal (gamma) globin genes by injecting a cosmid containing the complete -G gamma-A gamma-psi beta-delta-beta cluster into Xenopus oocytes. The transcripts from the gamma and beta genes were characterised with respect to their 5' termini by S1 nuclease mapping using probes which extend 5' to the cap site and 3' into the first exon. The only beta transcripts detectable in injected oocytes spanned from either -231 or -177 (cap site +1) into the first exon.