NIFEDIPINE BLOCKS ACTH AND CORTISOL RELEASE IN MAN

1. The present study investigated the effect of prior administration of nifedipine on AVP-induced ACTH release in seven normal volunteers. Three protocols were used: 20 mg oral nifedipine; 0.14 pressor units intramuscular (i.m.) per kg bodyweight aqueous AVP; oral nifedipine plus i.m. AVP 90 min later. Plasma ACTH and cortisol were measured at intervals for 2.5 h during each test. 2. The mean peak plasma ACTH and cortisol levels and the mean peak changes from basal in these levels were significantly lower in the nifedipine/AVP test than in the AVP alone test. The integrated area under the cortisol time curve was significantly lower for the nifedipine/AVP test than that for the AVP test alone. Nifedipine alone caused no changes in ACTH or cortisol. 3. Acute administration of oral nifedipine caused an inhibition of AVP-stimulated ACTH and cortisol release in normal humans. This effect may be due to blockade of plasma membrane calcium channels normally activated during AVP stimulation of pituitary corticotrophs.     

The problem of rickets in UK Asians

A large body of work relating to the occurrence of rickets in UK Asians is reviewed. Several theories of the aetiology of this condition are shown to be untenable: it is not exclusively a function of sunlight deprivation or of darker pigmentation; nor is it simply due to phytate-induced losses of calcium from the gut. Asian rickets, however, is associated with a high consumption of cereals, and experiments with rats have suggested a mechanism. In the absence of adequate vitamin D from sunlight, the low-calcium, high cereal intake of the UK Asian population may induce a state of mild secondary hyperparathyroidism which enhances the destruction of vitamin D and leads to a progressive reduction in vitamin D status and, ultimately, to the development of clinical rickets.     

High-protein Weight-loss Diets: Are They Safe and Do They Work? A Review of the Experimental and Epidemiologic Data

Recommendations for increased consumption of protein are among the most common approaches of popular or fad diets. This review summarizes the effects of dietary protein on satiety, energy intake, thermogenesis, and weight loss, as well as its effect on a variety of health outcomes in adults. In short-term studies, dietary protein modulates energy intake via the sensation of satiety and increases total energy expenditure by increasing the thermic effect of feeding. Whereas these effects did not contribute to weight and fat loss in those studies in which energy intake was fixed, one ad libitum study does suggest that a high-protein diet results in a greater decrease in energy intake, and therefore greater weight and fat loss. In terms of safety, there is little long-term information on the health effects of high-protein diets. From the available data, however, it is evident that the consumption of protein greater than two to three times the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance contributes to urinary calcium loss and may, in the long term, predispose to bone loss. Caution with these diets is recommended in those individuals who may be predisposed to nephrolithiasis or kidney disease, and particularly in those with diabetes mellitus.     

Natural history of parathyroid function and calcium metabolism after kidney transplantation: a single-centre study.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of parathyroid function after successful renal transplantation (RT) and the factors predisposing to persistent hyperparathyroidism (HPT) are not well established. A better knowledge of these data may be helpful in the development of algorithms for optimal surveillance and treatment of HPT after successful RT. Our aim was to evaluate the post-transplant natural history of parathyroid function and calcium metabolism in patients with a functional renal graft and to identify risk factors for persistent HPT. METHODS: Charts of 1165 allograft kidney recipients transplanted between 1989 and 2000 were reviewed. Patients with an intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level available at the time of transplantation were identified. The charts of the latter patients were checked for a variety of demographic and clinical data, and all determinations of the iPTH concentration available since transplantation were recorded. Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatases and creatinine, concurrently determined, were also registered. RESULTS: After an initial fall, iPTH levels showed a slow but steady decline towards the upper normal limit. The prevalence of persistent HPT, defined as an iPTH level > or =2.5 times the upper normal limit or the need for parathyroidectomy following transplantation, remained stable at approximately 17% up to 4 years after transplantation. Patients with persistent HPT had significantly elevated serum levels of iPTH, calcium and phosphorus at the time of RT, and had spent a longer time on dialysis. Post-transplant iPTH levels correlated significantly with transplant kidney function. CONCLUSION: Kidney transplant recipients with a high iPTH and calcium x phosphate product at the time of transplantation are at risk for persistent HPT especially when renal function is suboptimal. Therapy for persistent HPT, if considered, should be initiated 3 months post-transplantation since further spontaneous improvement of parathyroid function thereafter is limited.     

Is dietary counselling effective in increasing dietary calcium,protein and energy intake in patients with osteoporotic fractures? A randomized controlled clinical trial

To determine the feasibility of increasing the calcium, protein and calorie intake of osteoporotic fracture patients by repeated dietary counselling delivered by a dietitian, a randomized controlled trial was conducted. Among 189 patients presenting with osteoporotic fractures to an Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department of a large regional hospital, 98 patients were randomized to the intervention group and 91 were randomized to the control group (with usual care). Intervention group received three sessions of dietary counselling with tailored made recommendations over a period of 4 months, while the control group only received dietary assessment and pamphlets on the prevention of osteoporosis. Almost all subjects in both intervention and control groups had calcium intake below the recommended level of 1000 mg at baseline. Half and 60% of subjects in both groups had total energy and protein intake below recommended levels respectively. The mean weights of control and intervention groups at baseline were 51.5 and 50.9 kg respectively, while the body mass index (BMI) were 22.6 (kg m(-2)) and 22.6 (kg m(-2)) respectively. After dietary intervention, significant increase of intake was seen in calcium intake (P = 0.0095 by t-test) in the intervention group. No significant increase was seen in protein or calorie intake. No significant change was observed in the body weight or BMI although there was a positive trend in the intervention group for all these parameters. We concluded that there was general malnutrition in Chinese elderly who presented with osteoporotic fractures. Dietary calcium could be increased by repeated professional dietary counselling. Future studies with longer duration and more objective clinical outcomes will be helpful to further demonstrate the long-term effects of dietary intervention on osteoporosis and other chronic diseases.     

大豆蛋白影响肾损害模型钙摄入和钙排出的实验研究

[目的]研究大豆蛋白对肾损害大鼠钙平衡的影响。[方法]选择3月龄断乳雄性SD大鼠40只．按体质量从小到大排序，采用完全随机化原则分为4组。每组10只。标准饲料对照组：喂食含有14％酪蛋白饲料；大豆蛋白饲料组：喂食含有14％大豆分离蛋白饲料；混合饲料1组：喂食含有7％酪蛋白加7％大豆分离蛋白饲料；混合饲料2组：喂食含有7％酪蛋白加14％大豆分离蛋白饲料。实验期用腺嘌呤灌胃共21d，建立肾损害大鼠模型，各组大鼠喂养相应饲料6周，测饲料消耗量、24h尿蛋白、尿钙、钙表观吸收率、储留钙量。[结果]4组实验大鼠饲料摄入量1d～30d无统计学差异，大豆蛋白饲料组和混合饲料1组实验结束时与另外两组相比，尿钙排泄量低，钙表观吸收率和储留钙量高，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。[结论]蛋白质含量水平在14％条件下，含大豆蛋白的两种饲料对肾损害大鼠钙吸收、钙排泄的影响无统计学差异，有利于促进钙吸收，减少钙排泄。     

汉防己甲素抑制三种神经递质引起的新生大鼠脑细胞内游离钙的升高

应用Ｐｕｒａ－２技术测定游离新生大鼠脑［Ｃａ２＋］ｉ浓度的技术、研究了Ｔｅｔ对静息脑［Ｃａ２＋］ｉ和３种递质引起的脑［Ｃａ２］ｉ变化的影响。Ｔｅｔ（１，１０和２０μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１）对静息脑［Ｃａ２＋］ｉ无明显影响。Ｔｅｔ（１０μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１）可降低Ｌ－Ｇｌｎ（０．１、１．０和１０μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１）引起的脑（Ｃａ２＋）ｉ的升高。在Ｈａｎｋ＇ｓ液Ｃａ２＋为１．３ｍｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１时，Ｔｅｔ１０μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１可降低Ｈｉｓ（５０和１００μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１）和５－ＨＴ（０．１、１．０、１０和１００μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１）引起的脑［Ｃａ２＋］ｉ的升高。但不能降低Ｈａｎｋ＇ｓ液无Ｃａ２＋时Ｈｉｓ和５－ＨＴ引起的脑［Ｃａ２＋］ｉ的升高。研究表明Ｔｅｔ可阻滞Ｌ－Ｇｉｎ、Ｈｉｓ和５－ＨＴ受体调控的钙通道。但对Ｈｉｓ和５－ＨＴ引起的细胞内贮存钙的释放并无明显影响。Ｔｅｔ的这种降低脑［Ｃａ２＋］ｉ的作用可能是其治疗脑缺血性疾病的机理之一。Ｐ＜０．０１在Ｔｅｔ１０μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１作用下，相同浓度的细胞外液钙和Ｈｉｓ（０、５０和１００μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１），脑［Ｃａ２＋］ｉ分别是２２１±５、２４５±５和３０２±６ｎｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１。增加了１１．８?     

氨氯地平与尼群地平治疗高血压的多中心平行对照研究

采用多中心、随机、单盲、组间、平行对照的方法对488例原发性高血压患者进行氨氯地平或尼群地平4周治疗观察，显示氨氯地平的降压有效率为90．4％，较尼群地平显著为高。不良反应较少，安全性好。每日只需服药1次，剂量5～10mg，方便病人。     

Low surface tension calcium hydroxide solution is an effective antiseptic

The antimicrobial effects of a saturated calcium hydroxide solution, and in combination with 10% and 20% detergent, were evaluated on Streptococcus faecalis. Strepto-coccus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, Neisseria sp., diphlheroid, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus suhtilis and Candida albicans. The saturated calcium hydroxide solution was effective against only four of the 11 microorganisms studied over a 60-min exposure time. The calcium hydroxide solutions con-taining detergent killed all 11 test organisms over a 30-min exposure time. This difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). No statistically significant difference in antimicrobial action was found between the 10% and 20% detergent calcium hydroxide solutions (F>0.01). However, the low surface tension (46.5 × 10^?3 Nm^?1) and high pH (10.8) of the calcium hydroxide solution with 20% detergent establish it as the more effective solution.     

血钙水平与肾癌肿瘤大小、分期的相关性分析

目的分析肾细胞癌患者血钙水平和肿瘤大小与分期的相关性，从而进一步发现与病情相关的规律和了解病情。方法按照血钙水平将肿瘤大小／分期相应地分3组，即降低、正常和升高各3组。利用SPSS10．0软件，对3组不同的肿瘤大小／分期病例进行差异性分析和相关性研究。结果3组不同的肿瘤大小差异性分析（Kruskal-wallisH）显示，X^2=4．768，df=2，P=0．092；Spearman相关分析显示相关系数为．0．166，P=0．029。3组不同的肿瘤分期差异性分析（Kruskal-Wallis H）显示，X^2=4、277，df=2，P=0．118；Spearman相关系数为．0．157，P=-0．039。结论3组不同的肿瘤大小之间差异性无统计学意义，血钙水平与肿瘤大小间存在负相关；3组不同的肿瘤分期之间差异性无统计学意义，血钙水平与肿瘤分期间存在负相关。