Do children with primary nocturnal enuresis have a retarded bone age? A cross‐sectional study

OBJECTIVE: Nocturnal enuresis is a common pediatric problem, the etiology of which is unclear. In recent years, various studies have been published stating that children with nocturnal enuresis exhibit growth and skeletal maturation retardation. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we included 27 patients (16 boys, 11 girls) between the ages of 6 and 14 years who had presented with primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) complaints. We included in the evaluation 19 healthy subjects (12 boys, 7 girls), who were the siblings of the children with PNE, as the control group. RESULTS: The patients in both groups were similar in chronological age, bone age, height and weight, with no significant difference between groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The two groups in our study consisted of the same genetic background. Thus, our results were found to be different from the previous studies. We have concluded that there is no direct relationship between enuresis nocturnal and skeletal maturation.     

The effect of atrial natriuretic peptide on human isolated resistance arteries.

1. The action of (1-28) alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was studied on human isolated resistance arteries. 2. Renal, skeletal muscle, omental and subcutaneous resistance arteries were taken from tissue removed at surgery and isometric tension responses were measured with a myograph. 3. ANP (10(-9)-10(-6) M) relaxed precontracted segments of renal and skeletal muscle arteries in a concentration-dependent manner. ANP failed to relax isolated omental or subcutaneous arteries. 4. The effect of ANP on human isolated resistance arteries varies depending on the site of origin of the artery.     

Acute myelocytic leukemia and prior allergies

The relationship between prior allergies and adult acute myelocytic leukemia was investigated in a population-based case-control study. Based on data from personal interviews of 98 cases and 133 controls, a history of any type of allergy was associated with a significantly decreased risk of acute myelocytic leukemia (OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.20-0.60). Risk declined with the total number of specific allergies reported (p less than 0.001), and was reduced in relation to a history of prior asthma, eczema and hives. The implications of these findings in relation to natural immune surveillance against developing neoplasms are discussed.     

Serum ionic fluoride levels in haemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients

High serum fluoride (F-) in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with risk of renal osteodystrophy and other bone changes. This study was done to determine F- in normal healthy controls and patients with ESRD on haemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). Seventeen healthy controls (12 males, 5 females) and 39 ESRD patients on dialysis (17 males, 22 females) were recruited in the study in a community with 47.4 +/- 3.28 microM/l (range 44-51 microM/l) of F- content in drinking water. Control subjects showed a mean serum F- concentration of 1.08 +/- 0.350 microM/l. Males in control group showed slightly higher F- levels (1.15 +/- 0.334, range 0.55-1.9 microM/l) than females (0.92 +/- 0.370, range 0.6-1.5 microM/l). Mean serum F- concentration did not correlate significantly with age and sex among control subjects, whereas such correlation was observed in patients with ESRD on dialysis. Mean serum F- concentration was significantly higher in patients on dialysis (2.67 +/- 1.09, range 0.8-5.2 microM/l) than normal controls. When grouped according to sex, the mean serum F- concentration in males (3.05 +/- 1.04, range 1.8-5.2 microM/l) was significantly higher than females (2.38 +/- 1.08, range 0.8-5.2 microM/l). When patients were grouped according to age, it was observed that F- concentration was significantly higher in patients with age groups 21-70 (2.86 +/- 1.05) than those with age group 13-20 years (1.42 +/- 0.531). Thus F- concentration correlated with age and sex, being higher in males and above 20 years. Despite appreciable clearance of F- (39-90%) across the peritoneum, patients on CAPD showed higher serum F- concentration than those on HD (3.1 +/- 1.97 vs 2.5 +/- 1.137 microM/l). Of the total 39 patients on dialysis 39% had their serum F- concentration above 3.0 microM/l, posing the risk of renal osteodystrophy.      

Perinatal 'TORCH' infections identified by serology: correlation with abnormalities in the children through 7 years of age.

A matched case-control methodology was used to assess the risk for a wide range of abnormalities in children associated with serological evidence for 'TORCH' infections in the mothers. Specimens were selected from the large bank of sera from the approximately 54,000 pregnant women who participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project. There was no clear association between any of the antigens studied and any specific damage to the child. These 'negative' findings are consistent with the absence of frequent significant effects due to these agents in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.     

No evidence for a direct vasodilatory effect of celiprolol on human vasculature in vivo or in vitro

Celiprolol is reported to be a new cardioselective beta blocker with novel ancillary properties including vasodilator effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether celiprolol possesses a direct vasodilatory effect on human vasculature in vivo and in vitro. We studied the in vivo effects of intra-arterial celiprolol (1-100 micrograms/min i.a.) on forearm blood flow (FBF). Forearm blood was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography. Possible vasorelaxant actions of celiprolol on human vascular smooth muscle were studied using segments of isolated human saphenous vein in vitro. The effect of celiprolol was investigated on resting tone or noradrenaline induced tone. Possible alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist effects of celiprolol were assessed using celiprolol as an antagonist of BHT933 induced constriction. Celiprolol was without significant effect on FBF and failed to relax isolated saphenous vein segments preconstricted with noradrenaline. The weak alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist action of celiprolol was demonstrable in human saphenous vein. This study does not provide evidence for a direct vasodilatory effect of celiprolol on human vasculature.     

THE IMPACT OF PRE-CLERKING CLINICS ON SURGICAL OPERATION CANCELLATIONS: A PROSPECTIVE AUDIT

Pre-clerking of all patients undergoing elective general surgical operations was introduced at our hospital in an attempt to reduce an unacceptably high operation cancellation rate. A prospective audit has been performed on the effect of this policy on the cancellation rate. Before the introduction of pre-clerking there was a marked seasonal variation in the number of patients who failed to attend for surgery, which could be explained by absence on holiday. This seasonal variation disappeared after the start of pre-clerking clinics, but there has been no reduction in the number of cancellations for medical reasons.     

Comparative anatomy and phylogeny of the cloacae of salamanders (Amphibia: Caudata) IV. Salamandridae

Cloacae were examined from male and female salamanders representing 12 genera and 22 species in the Salamandridae. All female salamandrids possess numerous sperm storage glands, spermathecae, in the roof of the cloaca, but intergeneric variation exists in the occurrence of additional cloacal glands. Pleurodeles and Tylototriton possess both vent and anterior ventral glands, and secondary loss has occurred of vent glands in all other genera and anterior ventral glands in Chioglossa, Cynops, Paramesotriton, and Triturus The most highly derived cloaca occurs in Euproctus asper, in which the cloacal tube extends through a conical projection, and ventral glands secrete onto the dorsolateral surface of the projection rather than into the cloaca. Marked intergeneric variation occurs in males in conformation of the cloacal cavities and in extent of the dorsal gland. In Cynops, Euproctus, Pachytriton, Paramesotriton, Taricha, and Triturus, the pseudopenis (a broad, posteriorly projecting evagination of the dorsal roof) fills much of the cavity of the anterior cloacal chamber. In most salamandrids, distal ends of the dorsal glands occur lateral to pelvic glands in the anterior end of the cloaca, and dorsal gland tubules descend to secretory sites at the posterior end of the vent. Salamandra and Mertensiella possess a unique, bifurcated dorsal gland in which distal ends of tubules lie dorsal to the other cloacal glands, and proximal ends curve ventrally in the anterior end of the cloaca to secretory sites along the cloacal orifice. Cladistic analyses indicate that the variation in presence of anterior ventral glands is due to homoplasy. The occurrence of female vent glands, bifurcated dorsal glands, and the pseudopenis supports a phylogeny based upon noncloacal characters. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.