Adrenal release of catecholamines and Met-enkephalin before and after stress as measured by a novel in vivo dialysis method in the rat

A dialysis tubing was implanted in the adrenal gland of rats. Adrenomedullary secretion products were dialysed into Ringer solution in the awake animal. Catecholamines (CAs) and methionine-enkephalin (Met-Enk) were measurable under resting conditions. Epinephrine, norepinephrine and Met-Enk-like immunoreactive material increased following application of an immobilization stress for 5 min. The results demonstrate that adrenomedullary CAs and peptides are coreleased. They also demonstrate that Met-Enk-like immunoreactive material is released under stress.     

Cytology of pseudomyxoma peritonei: report of two cases arising from appendiceal cystadenomas

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is the clinical term for the diffuse deposition of mucus within the peritoneal cavity secondary to a mucinous tumor of the ovary or appendix. This gelatinous ascites, or "jelly-belly," may result in death from loss of intestinal function and intestinal obstruction caused by peritoneal implants rather than visceral invasion. Microscopic evaluation of peritoneal fluid is frequently an initial diagnostic test; however, in a search of the recent literature we were surprised to find only one case report of the cytologic features. This prompted us to report the cytologic findings in the peritoneal fluid of two cases of pseudomyxoma peritonei arising from appendiceal mucinous cystadenomas.     

小白鼠腹腔渗出细胞吞噬功能的研究

本实验比较糖元、鸡红细胞及两者复合使用对小鼠腹腔渗出细胞的影响,结果表明鸡红细胞和糖元一样能激活巨噬系和组织嗜碱系细胞,影响巨噬系细胞分化,鸡红细胞较糖元快;而影响组织嗜碱系细胞分化,糖元较鸡红细胞快。由于腹腔渗出细胞中存在原、幼巨噬细胞,按照血细胞发育是不可逆回的理论,推测腹腔巨噬细胞不是来源于血液循环中的单核细胞,而是来自血循环中的定向干细胞。本实验在腹腔渗出细胞中,首次发现组织嗜碱系细胞并描写其形态特征。     

腹膜透析病人的焦虑和抑郁水平与其病情变化的相关分析

目的:探讨腹膜透析病人情绪障碍,即焦虑症状和抑郁症状的发生情况,以及与透析相关因素的关系.方法:88例腹膜透析病人,使用Hamilton焦虑量表和Hamilton抑郁量表评估其情绪状况,同时测定其营养状况、残余肾功能和透析充分性、以及炎症水平,记录心脑血管事件发生情况等.结果:本组腹膜透析病人焦虑症状的发生率为44.3%,抑郁症状的发生率为56.8%.具有糖尿病和心脑血管病史者的Hamilton焦虑评分和抑郁评分高于无此类病史者(P<0.05).SGA评分较高的病人Hamilton焦虑评分和抑郁评分也较高;焦虑评分和抑郁评分较高的病人,其血清白蛋白水平、蛋白质摄入水平、体重指数、上臂中段肌肉面积和脂肪面积均较低(r=0.22～0.60,P<0.05或P<0.01).结论:腹膜透析病人焦虑症状和抑郁症状的发生率较高,焦虑症状和抑郁症状与心脑血管系统疾病和糖尿病相关,并可能与营养不良的发生存在一定的关系.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of fibroblast subpopulations in normal peritoneal tissue and in peritoneal dialysis-induced fibrosis

Peritoneal fibrosis is one of the most common morphological changes observed in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Both resident fibroblasts and new fibroblast-like cells derived from the mesothelium by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition are the main cells involved fibrogenesis. In order to establish markers of peritoneal impairment and pathogenic clues to explain the fibrogenic process, we conducted an immunohistochemical study focused on peritoneal fibroblasts. Parietal peritoneal biopsies were collected from four patient groups: normal controls (n=15), non-CAPD uremic patients (n=17), uremic patients on CAPD (n=27) and non-renal patients with inguinal hernia (n=12). To study myofibroblastic conversion of mesothelial cells, -smooth muscle actin (SMA), desmin, cytokeratins and E-cadherin were analyzed. The expression of CD34 by fibroblasts was also analyzed. Fibroblasts from controls and non-CAPD uremic patients showed expression of CD34, but no myofibroblastic or mesothelial markers. The opposite pattern was present during CAPD-related fibrosis. Expression of cytokeratins and E-cadherin by fibroblast-like cells and -SMA by mesothelial and stromal cells supports that mesothelial-to-myofibroblast transition occurs during CAPD. Loss of CD34 expression correlated with the degree of peritoneal fibrosis. The immunophenotype of fibroblasts varies during the progression of fibrosis. Myofibroblasts seem to derive from both activation of resident fibroblasts and local conversion of mesothelial cells.Manuel López-Cabrera and Rafael Selgas contributed equally to the article.     

The Current Status and Future of the Artificial Kidney

The use of the artificial kidney can presently be extended to almost all patients with end-stage renal failure. To reduce the cost of treatment, technological choices have to be made. These are always a compromise between cost and adequacy. The liberty obtained by technical improvements to perform a dialysis "à la carte," depending on patient and doctor wishes, is one of the main characteristics of the present status of hemodialysis.     

Pharmacokinetics of cefradine, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim and their metabolites in a patient with peritonitis undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Cefradine and co-trimoxazole pharmacokinetics were studied in a patient with peritonitis that complicated continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Concentrations in the plasma reached after oral administration of 500 mg cefradine four times daily and 400/80 mg co-trimoxazole four times daily were for cefradine 100g/ml, for trimethoprim 15g/ml, and for sulfamethoxazole 100/ml, respectively. In the dialysate concentrations were reached of 35–70/ml cefradine, 2–5/ml trimethoprim and 8–17g/ml sulfamethoxazole. The values for sulfamethoxazole are regarded too low to be clinically effective. Half-lives protein binding values and CAPD clearances are presented. Low CAPD clearances were obtained during the night and high values during the day. The dosage yielded too high plasma trimethoprim concentrations, while sulfamethoxazole dialysate concentrations were too low. It seems questionable therefore whether co-trimoxazole can be used orally for the treatment of CAPD peritonitis.     

Determination of free fractions of tricyclic antidepressants

Summary The plasma protein binding of amitriptyline, imipramine, clomipramine, and their primary demethylated metabolites were studied by means of a method combining dialysis and gas chromatography. Equilibrium in dialysis of serum containing amitriptyline and its metabolite nortriptyline was attained in about 0.5 h with the drug dissolved in the serum compartment, and in about 2 h with the drug passing from the buffer to the serum compartment.The calculation of free fractions was influenced by variations with dialysis time in the volumes of serum and buffer. Increase of pH in serum increased the protein binding of the weakly basic drugs studied, and made the Donnan distribution effects more pronounced. At pH 7.4, the Donnan effect was negligible.Binding parameters for the 6 tricyclic antidepressant substances studied were estimated for the binding to ₁-acid glycoprotein and for total binding in serum. For ₁-acid glycoprotein, the k-values ranged from 1·10⁵ to 8·10⁵ M^–1, and for pooled serum from 0.4·10⁵ to 8·10⁵ M^–1. The determined number of binding sites on the ₁-acid glycoprotein was, on average 0.87 for the 6 substances. In serum, the binding capacity was 2–14 times the concentration of ₁-acid glycoprotein.     

基于微信平台的健康教育对中青年居家腹膜透析患者负性情绪和自我管理能力的影响

目的探讨基于微信平台的健康教育对中青年居家腹膜透析患者负性情绪和自我管理能力的影响。方法选取2018年9月至2020年7月我院收治的中青年居家腹膜透析患者74例,随机分为实验组和对照组各37例。对照组采用常规健康教育,实验组采用基于微信平台的健康教育。比较两组患者干预前后的负性情绪和自我管理能力。结果干预前,两组的SDS、SAS、ESCA评分比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);干预后,实验组的SDS、SAS评分低于对照组,ESCA评分高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论基于微信平台的健康教育可有效改善中青年居家腹膜透析患者的焦虑、抑郁等负性情绪,显著提升其自我管理能力。     

Significance of Levocarnitine Treatment in Dialysis Patients

Carnitine is a naturally occurring amino acid derivative that is involved in the transport of long-chain fatty acids to the mitochondrial matrix. There, these substrates undergo β-oxidation, producing energy. The major sources of carnitine are dietary intake, although carnitine is also endogenously synthesized in the liver and kidney. However, in patients on dialysis, serum carnitine levels progressively fall due to restricted dietary intake and deprivation of endogenous synthesis in the kidney. Furthermore, serum-free carnitine is removed by hemodialysis treatment because the molecular weight of carnitine is small (161 Da) and its protein binding rates are very low. Therefore, the dialysis procedure is a major cause of carnitine deficiency in patients undergoing hemodialysis. This deficiency may contribute to several clinical disorders in such patients. Symptoms of dialysis-related carnitine deficiency include erythropoiesis-stimulating agent-resistant anemia, myopathy, muscle weakness, and intradialytic muscle cramps and hypotension. However, levocarnitine administration might replenish the free carnitine and help to increase carnitine levels in muscle. This article reviews the previous research into levocarnitine therapy in patients on maintenance dialysis for the treatment of renal anemia, cardiac dysfunction, dyslipidemia, and muscle and dialytic symptoms, and it examines the efficacy of the therapeutic approach and related issues.