Plasma Vasopressin in Hereditary Cranial Diabetes Insipidus

ABSTRACT A family comprising 46 members of 4 generations is described; 21 members suffered from incomplete diabetes insipidus (DI) of central origin. The pedigree showed a dominantly transmitted condition. The onset is gradual and starts in early infancy. The clinical symptoms are highly variable and decline in the sixth decade. Plasma vasopressin (AVP) during water deprivation was significantly lower in the DI group than in the controls (4.2±0.5 vs. 10.6±1.7 ng/l) (p<0.01), the difference being more pronounced in the high osmolality range (4.8±0.7 vs. 14.4±3.1 ng/l) (p<0.01). Urine osmolality was lower (241±36 vs. 928±46 mOsm/kg H₂O) (p<0.01) despite higher serum osmolality during water deprivation, rendering the ratio between urine and serum osmolality less than unity compared with >3:1 in the control group (p<0.001). In two affected females, addition of a nonosmotic stimulus caused no increase in plasma AVP. The findings are consistent with a partial defect in the production or release of AVP and not with a dysfunction of the intracranial osmoreceptors. The variable features of incomplete DI indicate that to define the condition by excessive urinary output alone is insufficient. The ratio between urine and serum osmolalities after an appropriate osmotic stimulus together with plasma AVP measurements may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.     

Antimicrobial and fluoride release capacity of orthodontic bonding materials

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and fluoride releasing capacity of 3 bonding materials.

Material and Methods

Thirty nine specimens with standardized surface smoothness and dimensions were prepared. The antimicrobial capacity of the materials against S. mutans, L. casei and C. albicans was evaluated by determining the percentage of growth inhibition of these microorganisms in an inoculated medium, obtained by optical density readouts on a spectrophotometer. The potential to interfere in microbial growth on the surface of the studied materials was observed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fluoride release capacity in ultrapure water for 14 days was analyzed by means of ion chromatography.

Results

The PLUS group presented the highest percentage of microbial inhibition and the most contamination-free surface. The FUJI group presented the best fluoride release capacity.

Conclusions

The Transbond^TM Plus Color Change was the one that presented the best general behavior considering the evaluated aspects.     

Hypoglycaemic activity of commelina africana and ageratum conyzoides in relation to their mineral composition

Background

Many plants with antidiabetic properties probably act in part through their content of fibre, vitamins, bioactive or mineral content

Objectives

This study investigated the mineral, proximate, phytochemical compositions and hypoglycaemic effect of Commelina africana and Ageratum conyzoides extracts in diabetic rats, and the likely relationship between this property and the mineral, proximate and phytochemical compositions of the plants.

Methods

The plants were subjected to mineral, proximate composition and phytochemical analysis. Attempt was made to see (if any) the relationship between the hypoglycaemic effect and the mineral, proximate compositions and phytochemistry of the plants. Alloxan-induced diabetic animals were administered 500mg/kg body weight aqueous extracts of the plants and glibenclamide as the reference hypoglycaemic agent.

Results

Aqueous extract of Ageratum conyzoides reduced fasting blood glucose of experimental animals by 39.1% while Commelina africana reduced the same by 78.0%. Alkaloids, cardenolides, saponins, and tannins were detected in both plants. Anthraquinones was absent in C. africana but a trace of it was detected in A. conyzoides. The hypoglycaemic effect of Commelina africana was comparable with the reference hypoglycaemic agent. Ageratum conyzoides showed comparably weaker hypoglycaemic effect than exhibited by reference hypoglycaemic agent. Comparatively, Commelina africana had higher mineral concentrations (except Na) than Ageratum conyzoides.

Conclusions

Plants'' extracts minerals (magnesium, potassium and iron) and bioactive components (alkaloids and cardenolides) seemingly enhanced their hypoglycaemic effect. Furthermore, these minerals, alkaloids and cardenolides could be helpful in ameliorating complications of diabetes like hypertension and cardiovascular disease.     

Contribution of SNRNP200 sequence variations to retinitis pigmentosa

Purpose

Mutations in the SNRNP200 gene have been reported to cause autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). In this study, we evaluate the mutation profile of SNRNP200 in a cohort of southern Chinese RP patients.

Methods

Twenty adRP patients from 11 families and 165 index patients with non-syndromic RP with mixed inheritance patterns were screened for mutations in the mutation hotspots of SNRNP200. These included exons 12–16, 22–32, and 38–45, which covered the two helicase ATP-binding domains in DEAD-box and two sec-63 domains. The targeted regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed by direct DNA sequencing, followed by in silico analyses.

Results

Totally 26 variants were identified, 18 of which were novel. Three non-synonymous variants (p.C502R, p.R1779H and p.I698V) were found exclusively in patients. Two of them, p.C502R and p.R1779H, were each identified in one simplex RP patient, whereas p.I698V occurred in one patient with unknown inheritance pattern. All three residues are highly conserved in SNRNP200 orthologs. Nevertheless, only p.C502R and p.R1779H were predicted to affect protein function by in silico analyses, suggesting these two variants are likely to be disease-causing mutations. Notably, all mutations previously identified in other study populations were not detected in this study.

Conclusions

Our results reveal a distinct mutation profile of the SNRNP200 gene in a southern Chinese cohort of RP patients. The identification of two novel candidate mutations in two respective patients affirmed that SNRNP200 contributes to a proportion of overall RP.