Comparison of dipyridamole and fosinopril on renal progression in nephrectomized rats

SUMMARY:   There is evidence to suggest that antiplatelet aggregation and inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme will attenuate the progression of renal disease. In the present study, dipyridamole (DPM; 30 mg/kg per day, p.o.) or fosinopril (FOS; 20 mg/kg per day, p.o.) was given to rats for 5 weeks starting immediately after renal mass reduction (right uninephrectomy and ligation of approximately two-thirds of the blood supply to the left kidney). Renal mass reduction caused increased mean arterial blood pressure, reduced effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), azotemia and proteinuria. Neither proteinuria nor hypertension was affected by DPM, although renal function improved markedly. Rats receiving FOS showed normalization of blood pressure with a significant increase in both ERPF and GFR, along with a lower degree of proteinuria. A histological examination of the remnant kidney detected the presence of vasodilation with a lower degree of podocyte swelling in both treatment groups, with a remarkable effect in the FOS group. These data indicate that both FOS and DPM attenuate the progression of glomerular disease associated with renal mass reduction in rats. However, FOS was more beneficial than DPM because it reduced proteinuria and lowered blood pressure.     

Nephrotoxicity in snake envenomation.

There is a broad spectrum of renal involvement following snake envenomation. At the clinical level the renal manifestation may be absent or minimal. Mild proteinuria with abnormal urinary sediment may be observed. Significant proteinuria is uncommon. Hematuria and hemoglobinuria are seen in envenomation by vipers or crotalids, while myoglobinuria follows envenomation of sea snakes or elapids. Acute renal failure can occur in these snake bites. All renal structures can be involved. Mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis is common. Tubular necrosis is the important pathological counterpart of acute renal failure. Three mechanisms including hemodynamic alterations, immunologic reactions, and direct nephrotoxicity are incriminated in the pathogenesis of renal lesions.     

The effect of different powder particle size on mechanical properties of sintered alumina, resin- and glass-infused alumina

In this study, the compaction and sintering behavior of fine alumina powders of different particle sizes and the effect of matrix particle size on biaxial strength and fracture toughness of infused matrices were investigated. Three different alumina powders, In-Ceram alumina, A16SG, and RC172 were selected, representing a range of particle size and shape. RC172 and A16SG were dry-pressed. In-Ceram alumina was slip-cast following manufacturer's recommendations. Dry-pressed ceramic blocks were sectioned into disks with a thickness of 1.5-mm. Uninfused disks were sintered at four temperatures between 1250 degrees C and 1400 degrees C. For glass or resin infused specimens, alumina disks were sintered at 1250 degrees C for 2 h and separated into two groups for glass infusion and resin (UDMA/TEGDMA) infusion. Disks were tested for biaxial flexural strength with a universal testing machine (Instron) at 0.5-mm/min crosshead speeds. One-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range tests revealed that alumina disks with different smaller particle sizes have significantly higher biaxial strength (p < 0.05). The strength of the alumina matrix was greatly increased by glass and resin infusion. The biaxial strength of resin-infused alumina increased as particle size decreased, whereas strength of glass-infused alumina was constant.     

A synonymous variant in MYO15A enriched in the Ashkenazi Jewish population causes autosomal recessive hearing loss due to abnormal splicing

Nonsyndromic hearing loss is genetically heterogeneous. Despite comprehensive genetic testing, many cases remain unsolved because the clinical significance of identified variants is uncertain or because biallelic pathogenic variants are not identified for presumed autosomal recessive cases. Common synonymous variants are often disregarded. Determining the pathogenicity of synonymous variants may improve genetic diagnosis. We report a synonymous variant c.9861 C > T/p.(Gly3287=) in MYO15A in homozygosity or compound heterozygosity with another pathogenic or likely pathogenic MYO15A variant in 10 unrelated families with nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss. Biallelic variants in MYO15A were identified in 21 affected and were absent in 22 unaffected siblings. A mini-gene assay confirms that the synonymous variant leads to abnormal splicing. The variant is enriched in the Ashkenazi Jewish population. Individuals carrying biallelic variants involving c.9861 C > T often exhibit progressive post-lingual hearing loss distinct from the congenital profound deafness typically associated with biallelic loss-of-function MYO15A variants. This study establishes the pathogenicity of the c.9861 C > T variant in MYO15A and expands the phenotypic spectrum of MYO15A-related hearing loss. Our work also highlights the importance of multicenter collaboration and data sharing to establish the pathogenicity of a relatively common synonymous variant for improved diagnosis and management of hearing loss.Subject terms: Genetic testing, Genetic testing     

Microhardness of sub-restoration dentine in primary molars after carious tissue removal to soft and firm dentine

ObjectivesTo compare the microhardness of sub-restoration dentine after selective carious tissue removal and placing glass ionomer restorative cement.MethodsForty-three primary molars with carious lesions extended to the inner third of dentine in subjects aged 8–12 years were included. The teeth were randomly assigned to the following carious tissue removal conditions: Group 1 - removal to the soft dentine, Group 2 - removal to the firm dentine, and Group 3 - removal to the hard dentine. Following restoration with glass ionomer restorative cement for three to six months, 30 tooth samples underwent microhardness testing performed on sub-restoration dentine and sound dentine. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the microhardness values of sound dentine and sub-restoration dentine within the group. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to analyse the microhardness of the sub-restoration dentine across the three groups.ResultsAll 30 teeth available for analysis were asymptomatic, with no signs of pulpitis. The average microhardness values of sub-restoration dentine and sound dentine ranged from 16 to 23 KHN and 20 to 27 KHN, respectively. In each group, the microhardness value of the sub-restoration dentine was significantly lower than that of the sound dentine (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the microhardness values of sub-restoration dentine relative to that sound dentine among three groups (p = 0.86).ConclusionThe microhardness values of sub-restoration dentine with selective carious tissue removal were comparable to those with complete carious tissue removal after glass ionomer restorative cement placement.     

Comparative studies on hematological and plasma biochemical parameters in different types of venomous snakes in Thailand

Reference values were established for some plasma biochemical and hematological profiles of venomous snakes in Thailand. The studies were performed on three groups of adult, captive born elapids, including 20 Siamese cobra, Naja kaouthia; 20 king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah; and 9 Malayan krait, Bungarus candidus. The study parameters included complete blood count, plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), plasma creatinine, uric acid, total protein, and sodium, potassium, and chloride ions. The results obtained were compared among groups of snakes. Comparative studies among groups showed statistical significant differences of some parameters among species including heterophils, eosinophils, basophils, AST, ALP, creatinine, and potassium and chloride ion levels. The differences of these parameters indicate the necessity of establishing referential data for hematological and biochemical parameters in venomous snakes. The results obtained will be useful in routine diagnostics as the hematological and metabolic profiles of venomous snakes.