Adherence to the dialysis prescription: partnering with patients for improved outcomes.

Nonadherence is common in the U.S. dialysis population. No single strategy has been definitely proven to yield universal and/or lasting improvements in adherence. However, using a patient-centered approach, including the removal of barriers to adherence, ongoing education, and cognitive behavioral strategies, may generate increased opportunities for patients and the nephrology staff to improve both adherence and outcomes.     

Phosphate transport by plasma membranes of enterocytes during development: role of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.

The present studies were designed to investigate phosphate transport across the brush border and basolateral membranes of enterocytes and to determine the effect of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25(OH)2D3] on these processes in suckling and adolescent rats. Vitamin D deficiency was induced in suckling rats by feeding pregnant dams a vitamin D-deficient diet 48 h after insemination; they were then kept in the dark. Vitamin D deficiency in the adolescent rats was induced by feeding the vitamin D-deficient diet to weanling rats for 4 wk. V max values for Na(+)-dependent phosphate uptake in the brush border membranes of vitamin D-deficient and 1,25(OH)2D3-injected suckling rats was 0.7 +/- 0.1 and 1.5 +/- 0.2 nmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1 (P less than 0.01), respectively; V max values in adolescent rats were 0.2 +/- 0.05 and 0.36 +/- 0.04 nmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1 (P less than 0.05), respectively. Vmax values for Na(+)-dependent phosphate uptake in basolateral membranes of vitamin D-deficient and 1,25(OH)2D3-treated suckling rats were 0.006 +/- 0.001 and 0.047 +/- 0.006 nmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1 (P less than 0.01).     

Transvaginal color duplex sonography: clinical potentials and limitations.

This overview describes our preliminary experience in the application of transvaginal color Doppler sonography in evaluation of the uterus and ovaries. The main indications for this type of sonography include evaluation for ovarian torsion, differentiation of benign from malignant ovarian masses, diagnosis of pelvic congestion, and assessment of utero-ovarian perfusion. Obstetric applications include evaluation of complicated early pregnancy and evaluation of placental disorders such as placenta accreta. No doubt future applications will arise soon from active investigation with this new technique.