COURSE OF RENAL FUNCTION IN IgA GLOMERULONEPHRITIS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

ABSTRACT. The pathophysiology of IgA GN was investigated in different stages of the disease. Seventeen patients who were between 3.5 and 16.5 years of age at the onset were included in the study. Clearance studies were performed repeatedly in 6 patients (in 5 of them over a period extending from the onset to 5-9.5 years) and only once in 9 patients (10-23 years after the onset). Two patients (one with uremia) were only evaluated clinically. C_In, C_PAH and U_NaV were studied during hydropenia (HP) and 3% isotonic saline volume expansion (VE). Shortly after the onset C_In, C_PAH and U_NaV were depressed. Renal function was essentially normal 1 and 2 years after the onset in spite of signs of active disease. A supernormal GFR was found in 7 patients after they had had the condition between 5 and 17 years. After a duration of IgA GN for >9 years 3 of 12 patients had developed hypertension and uremia and 2 had hypertension or labile BP. Three of 10 patients had a normal GFR and BP, but had increased natriuresis during VE. Only 2 of 10 patients were normotensive and had normal renal function. Disturbancies in the renal function are thus frequent in all stages of IgA GN and the changes seem to be related to the duration of the disease. Exaggerated natriuresis may indicate progressive disease.     

Altering alcohol price by ethanol content: results from a Swedish tax policy in 1992

In July 1992, the Swedish alcohol retail monopoly reset the taxes for alcohol sold in state stores according to absolute alcohol content. This provided a unique opportunity to examine the effects on alcohol sales within the three beverage classes (beer, wine and spirits) in a situation where price is purposely linked to alcohol content. The most notable effects of the taxation change were a substantial compression of the range of prices for spirits and wine and a corresponding expansion of the price spectrum for beer. Consumers appear to have responded to these tax changes by shifting away from beverage brands that became relatively more expensive. These results suggest that alcohol policy strategies to reduce total alcohol consumption should consider the entire price/quality spectrum as well as differences in absolute alcohol per volume across the three alcohol beverage types.     

Caries experience in urban Tanzanian children 1973–84

Abstract – In 1973 and 1984 the caries status of 624 and 394 children, respectively, was recorded in an urban area of northern Tanzania where the water fluoride content was 2.0–3.5 ppm. Although slightly different scoring criteria were used, the data showed very low levels of caries, and little evidence of increases in caries experience over the 10-yr period. The distribution of caries lesions was markedly skewed, such that a minority of individuals accounted for most of the caries. The levels of caries were low by international standards and equivalent to those found in children from low fluoride areas of Tanzania.     

Evaluation of Transesophageal Atrial Pacing Stethoscope in Adult Surgical Patients Under General Anesthesia

Sinus bradycardia (SB) and atrioventricular functional rhythm (AVJR) commonly cause circulatory insufficiency in anesthetized surgical patients. Treatment is usually with drugs, which can be ineffective or have adverse effects. Cardiac pacing might be preferred, but the transvenous or epicardial routes are too invasive for routine use, and transcufaneous pacing fails to preserve atrial transport function, Transesophageal atrial pacing (TAP) lacks these disadvantages, yet inavailability of inexpensive products has prevented more widespread use. Therefore, a pacing esophageal stethoscope (PES) fabricated by addition of bipolar electrodes to disposable esophageal stethoscopes routinely used for intraoperative monitoring, was evaluated in 100 anesthetized adults. TAP thresholds (10-msec pulses) and hemodynamic effects of TAP as treatment for incidental SB (< 60 beats/mm) or AVJR were determined. Minimum TAP thresholds (mean ± standard error) in 48 males were 7.3 ± 0.3 mA and in 51 females were 8.5 ± 0.4 mA. Corresponding inferior alveolar ridge-to-electrode distances were 32.5 ± 0.2 and 30.4 ± 0.2 cm. For 48 patients with SB ± 60 beats/mm (54 ± 1 beats/min), TAP (81 ± 1 ppm) produced average 15, 11, and 14 mmHg increases in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure, respectively (P < 0.001). For 11 patients with AV/R (71 ± 5 beats/mm), TAP (92 ± 3 ppm) produced average 23 and 15 mmHg increases in systolic and mean arterial pressure, respectively (P < 0.05). There were no apparent complications of TAP. TAP with a PES appears practical, safe, and effective for prophylaxis and treatment of SB or AV/R in anesthetized surgical patients.     

Efficacy of plaque-removal using interdental brushes and waxed dental floss

Abstract – The plaque-removing efficacy when using waxed dental floss and three interdental brushes was compared in an intraindividual clinical trial. Nine adult patients treated for periodontal disease, with a reduced but healthy periodontium and large interdental spaces were subjects in the study. Each subject tested the four interdental cleaning aids in random sequence over a 2-wk period. The duration of the study was 8 wk. The results indicated that the use of interdental brushes is preferable to that of dental floss in cleaning interdental areas where the papilla is missing. No difference in achieved cleanliness was noted after use of the different interdental brushes tested. No gingival damage or damage to the hard tissue of the teeth was observed after use of interdental brushes or dental floss.     

Leucine and fucose incorporation into odontoblast protein

abstract — Odontoblasts isolated from rat incisors were incubated in vitro in the presence of tritiated leucine or fucose, and the amount of precursor incorporated into TCA-precipitated proteins was determined. The effect on precursor incorporation of varying the total precursor concentration was examined. The incorporation of leucine and fucose into TCA-precipitated proteins was found to be linear with time for at least 90 min. Inhibition studies with puromycin, cycloheximide and chloramphenicol demonstrated the presence of odontoblastic protein synthesis. One hour after in vivo administration of tritiated leucine the highest specific activity of odontoblast-predentin protein material was noted the corresponding maximum for pulp proteins was found to occur after 30 min. The in vivo incorporation of tritiated fucose was maximal after 4 h in both odontoblasts and pulp tissue.     

The effect of deprenyl (selegiline) on intra-and extraneuronal dopamine oxidation

ABSTRACT — It was found that in that rat striatum DA was oxidized extrasynaptosomally to 11 % by MAO-A and to 3 % by MAO-B. The corresponding intrasynaptosomal oxidations were 84 % and 2 %, respectively. Those figures were virtually unchanged even if the rat brain MAO-B was selectively inhibited to 87 % by deprenyl. In the human brain extrasynaptosomal oxidation was 16 % and 66 %, respectively, by MAO-A and -B. Intrasynaptosomally the corresponding figures were 12 % and 6 %, respectively. Selective inhibition of human caudate MAO-B was calculated to give a total reduction of DA oxidation of 63 %. The differences between man and rat are due to the proportionately greater oxidation of DA by MAO-B in man, which is a consequence of a higher ratio of concentration of MAO-A/-B in the rat.