Lack of control of liver gluconeogenesis in cholestatic rats with reduced portal blood flow.

Previous studies indicated a role for ischemia in the metabolic changes induced by cholestasis. Liver pyruvate kinase is a key enzyme for the concurrent control of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. In this experiment the control of pyruvate kinase activity was investigated in cholestatic rats. Pyruvate kinase kinetics changed from a sigmoidal type in sham-operated rats to a hyperbolic type in obstructed rats. The change in the enzymatic kinetics paralleled the reduction in the portal blood flow, which reached 50% of the control value 7 days after obstruction. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (5 mumol/kg body wt) plus theophylline 0.1 mmol/L failed to inactivate the enzyme when injected into the portal veins of rats whose livers were obstructed 7 days before. Both the kinetics changes and the lack of phosphorylation control are compatible with ischemia.     

Effect of intervention to improve breastfeeding technique on the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding and lactation-related problems.

This randomized clinical trial compared frequencies of exclusive breastfeeding and lactation-related problems during the first 30 days among 74 mothers who received a 30-minute counseling session on breastfeeding technique in the maternity ward, and 137 controls. The frequency of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers who had received intervention was similar to controls by 7 days (79.7% vs 82.5%, respectively) and 30 days (60.8% vs 53.3%). There was no difference between groups in the frequency of sore nipples at 7 and 30 days, in breast engorgement and mastitis, and in the quality of breastfeeding technique at 30 days. Therefore, a single intervention at maternity was not sufficient to improve breastfeeding technique, increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, and reduce the incidence of breastfeeding problems during the first month.     

Colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus after liver transplantation.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a frequent cause of infection after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Colonization with MRSA is associated with a higher risk of infection. Previous studies have shown a high prevalence of MRSA colonization among OLT candidates. However, the risk of colonization with MRSA after OLT is still unclear. The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence and the factors associated with colonization with MRSA after OLT. This was a prospective cohort study including patients submitted to OLT between the years 2000 and 2002. Surveillance cultures of nasal swab specimens were performed within the 1st 72 hours of hospital admission and, subsequently, on weeks 2, 6, 13, and 26. Patients whose baseline cultures revealed nasal carriage of MRSA were excluded. A total of 60 patients were included in the study. The median follow-up was 72 days. A total of 9 patients (15%) became colonized. In multiple logistic regression analyses, the use of a urinary catheter for > or =5 days (P = .006), postoperative bleeding at the surgical site (P = .009), and preoperative use of fluoroquinolones (P = .08) were associated with a higher risk of colonization. Patients without any of these risk factors did not become colonized. In conclusion, nasal carriage of MRSA is frequently acquired after OLT. Periodic postoperative screening for MRSA carriage should be an integral component in programs designed to reduce nosocomial MRSA transmission in these patients. Further studies are needed to set up and validate a predictive model that could allow targeting postoperative screening to high-risk OLT recipients.     

Determining the Alveolar Component of Nitric Oxide in Exhaled Air: Procedures and Reference Values for Healthy Persons

Nitric oxide (NO) production has been described using a 2-compartment model for the synthesis and movement of NO in both the alveoli and the airways. The alveolar concentration of NO (Ca_NO), an indirect marker of the inflammatory state of the distal portions of the lung, can be deduced through exhalation at multiple flow rates. Our objective was to determine reference values for Ca_NO. The fraction of exhaled NO (Fe_NO) was measured in 33 healthy individuals at a rate of 50 mL/s; the subjects then exhaled at 10, 30, 100, and 200 mL/s to calculate Ca_NO. A chemiluminescence analyzer (NIOX Aerocrine) was used to perform the measurements. The mean (SD) Fe_NO was 15 (6) ppb. The mean Ca_NO was 3.04 (1.30) ppb. These values of Ca_NO measured in healthy individuals will allow us to analyze alveolar inflammatory behavior in respiratory and systemic processes.     

Sub-acute intoxication by Senna occidentalis seeds in rats.

Senna occidentalis (So) is a weed that grows in pastures along fences and in fields cultivated with cereals such as corn and soybean, and many reports have been showing intoxication with this plant in different animal species. It is also used in many medicinal purposes. The objective of the present study was to better evaluate the toxic effects of prolonged administration of So seeds to rats. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of 10 animals each, three of them respectively fed rations containing 1%, 2% and 4% So seeds, and the last one (control) fed commercial ration for a period of 2 weeks. Fourteen rats were also used in a pair-feeding (PF) experiment. The rats of the experimental groups showed lethargy, weakness, recumbency, depression and emaciation. Two rats of the 4% group and two of the PF group died during the experiment. Histopathological study showed fiber degenerations in the skeletal (Tibial, pectoral and diaphragm) and cardiac muscles. In the liver parenchyma, was observed vacuolar degeneration and, in the kidney, mild nefrosis in the proximal convoluted tubules. All of these alterations occurred in a dose-dependent fashion. Moderate to severe degeneration and spongiosis in the central nervous system, especially in cerebellum. Electron microscopy revealed mitochondrial lesions in all analyzed tissues.