Peritoneal transport after long-term exposure to Icodextrin in rats

BACKGROUND: Icodextrin, an effective osmotic substance that has been proposed as an alternative agent for peritoneal dialysis induces ultrafiltration over long dwells. This study examines the peritoneal transport after exposure to Icodextrin in rats. METHODS: Animals were divided in 4 groups and injected daily for 30 days with Icodextrin 7.5 % (n = 14), Glucose 4.25 % (n = 19) or glucose 4.25% plus Icodextrin 7.5 % (n = 13). Rats of the control group (n = 15) were not exposed. A 4-hour permeability study was performed using glucose at days 1, 30 and 60. At days 2, 31 and 61 the same animals were injected with Icodextrin. RESULTS: Slopes of effluent sodium at day 30 were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the glucose (0.006 +/- 0.016), Icodextrin (0.013 +/- 0.014) and mixed groups (0.012 +/- 0.017) than in the control group (-0.041 +/- 0.021). Urea D/P ratio was not significantly different in the 4 groups. After 30 days, glucose effluent levels were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the glucose (701 +/- 278 mg/dl), Icodextrin (552 +/- 209 mg/dl) and mixed groups (587 +/- 344 mg/dl) than in control rats (1519 +/- 413 mg/dl). Effluent protein (mg/l) in the mixed group (1,555 +/- 357) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than control (376 +/- 33), glucose (1,015 +/- 232) and Icodextrin (765 +/- 75) groups at day 30. CONCLUSION: The long-term use of Icodextrin does not affect small molecule transport, but induces changes in the peritoneal protein excretion, especially when Icodextrin and glucose are injected together.     

Pain in the lower part of the spine in spinal osteochondrosis: experience in using chondroprotective drugs

AIM: To assess the response to chondroitin sulfate (structum) in low back pain (LBP) due to spinal osteochondrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 30 patients (mean age 51.4 years) with a definite primary LBP took structum in a dose 1 g/day for 24 weeks. The diagnosis was made according to WHO recommendations (2000). The response was assessed with uniform international questionnaires and visual analogue scale. RESULTS: The treatment reduced pain syndrome and improved spinal function in 73.3% patients with LBP studied. CONCLUSION: It would be valid to include long-acting chondroprotective drugs in the program of LBP in spinal osteochondrosis.     

Monitoring of the Oxidation-Reduction State of Brain Structures in Freely Moving Rats during Sleep–Waking Cycles by Potentiometric Recording

Freely mobile mongrel male rats weighing 300–350 g were used for studies of changes in the oxidative-reductive (redox) state of brain tissue during cycles of waking, slow-wave sleep, and paradoxical sleep, by recording the potential of the oxidative-reductive state of brain tissue with platinum electrodes implanted into the cerebral cortex ad hippocampus. Electromyograms were also recorded from the cervical muscles, and overall movement activity was also recorded. A common platinum reference electrode was implanted into the nasal bones. These experiments showed that in rats, episodes of waking and paradoxical sleep occurred on the background of increases in the oxidation-reduction potential state of brain tissue at a series of brain points, which we termed metabolically active. Transitions from waking and paradoxical sleep to slow-wave sleep were accompanied by decreases in the potential of the redox state. The magnitude of changes in the tissue redox state varied up to 100 mV. It is suggested that transitions from waking and paradoxical sleep to slow-wave sleep are accompanied by dynamic changes in the balance of brain tissue energy metabolism between the main energy sources. Oxidative phosphorylation dominates in waking and paradoxical sleep, while aerobic glycolysis dominates slow-wave sleep. We suggest that this latter should be interpreted as a decrease in the potential of the tissue redox state and the formation within the tissue of oscillations during slow-wave sleep. Formation of oscillations is typical for acceleration of glycolytic processes. Recently published data suggest that the major compartment or aerobic glycolysis is the astroglia.     

Insertions and deletions are male biased too: a whole-genome analysis in rodents

It is presently accepted that, in mammals, due to the greater number of cell divisions in the male germline than in the female germline, nucleotide substitutions occur more frequently in males. The data on mutation bias in insertions and deletions (indels) are contradictory, with some studies indicating no sex bias and others indicating either female or male bias. The sequenced rat and mouse genomes provide a unique opportunity to investigate a potential sex bias for different types of mutations. Indeed, mutation rates can be accurately estimated from a large number of orthologous loci in organisms similar in generation time and in the number of germline cell divisions. Here we compare the mutation rates between chromosome X and autosomes for likely neutral sites in eutherian ancestral interspersed repetitive elements present at orthologous locations in the rat and mouse genomes. We find that small indels are male biased: The male-to-female mutation rate ratio (alpha) for indels in rodents is approximately 2. Similarly, our whole-genome analysis in rodents indicates an approximately twofold excess of nucleotide substitutions originating in males over that in females. This is the same as the male-to-female ratio of the number of germline cell divisions in rat and mouse. Thus, this is consistent with nucleotide substitutions and small indels occurring primarily during DNA replication.     

Pleiotropic consequences of metabolic stress for the major histocompatibility complex class II molecule antigen processing and presentation machinery

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Gonadal status and reproductive function following treatment for Hodgkin's disease in childhood: the Stanford experience

To ascertain the impact of therapy on gonadal function and reproductive outcome among children treated for Hodgkin's disease, we reviewed the experience at Stanford University Medical Center during the years 1965-1986. There were 240 children 15 years of age or younger, 92 girls and 148 boys; with median follow-up of 9 years, maximum follow-up was 26 years. Of this cohort, data on gonadal function were available on 20 boys, 5 of whom were considered prepubescent; they had no clinical evidence of sexual maturation and were less than 13 years of age. Evaluation of the boys included testicular biopsy, semen analyses and the ability to procreate. Serum gonadotropin hormone levels (FSH, LH) were studied in 11 boys who also had semen analyses. Sexual maturation was attained in all boys without the need for androgen replacement. Among the eight boys treated with radiation alone, four were able to father a child (3 following 40-45 Gy pelvic radiation dose, 1 without pelvic radiation) from 3-19 years following treatment. Three others who received 30-44 Gy pelvic radiation were oligospermic when tested at 10 to 15 years post-treatment. Semen analyses in 10 of 12 (83%) boys who had been treated with six cycles of MOPP with or without pelvic radiation revealed absolute azoospermia with no evidence of recovery as along as 11 years of follow-up. Following prolonged azoospermia, 2 of the 12 boys (17%) had recovery of fertility, with normalization of sperm count and/or ability to procreate at 12 and 15 years following treatment. There was no correlation with serum gonadotropin levels and sterility. Data on menstrual history, pregnancy and offspring were available in 86 (92%) of the girls. Seventy-five of the 86 girls (87%) have normal menstrual function. However, none of the females who underwent pelvic radiation without prior oophoropexy has maintained ovarian function. Both the prepubescent and postpubescent boys were affected by 6 cycles of MOPP whether or not pelvic radiation was administered. On the other hand, in girls similarly treated, ovarian injury was directly related to both the number of cycles of chemotherapy and the ovarian radiation dose. The chances of maintaining gonadal function following combined modality treatment are significantly greater among girls than boys. The progeny of patients treated for Hodgkin's disease appear normal and no excess fetal wastage has been noted.     

Effectiveness of ketonal and diclofenac in spondylarthrosis complicated with spinal pain

The article compares efficacy and safety of ketonal used in a dose 300 mg/day and diclofenac in a dose 150 mg/day in patients with primary spinal pain. The treatment of 60 patients aged 35 to 70 years (mean age 42.7 +/- 12.4 years) showed high efficacy of ketonal in spinal pain and low rate of side effects induced by this drug. Diclofenac was also effective.