Blunted renal dopaminergic system activity in puromycin aminonucleoside-induced nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: A primary tubular sodium handling abnormality has been implicated in the edema formation of nephrotic syndrome. Dopamine synthesized by renal proximal tubules behaves as an endogenous natriuretic hormone by activating D(1)-like receptors as a paracrine/autocrine substance. METHODS: We examined the time courses of the urinary excretion of sodium, protein and dopamine in puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN)-treated and control rats. The rats were sacrificed during greatest sodium retention (day 7) as well as during negative sodium balance (day 14) for the evaluation of renal aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) activity, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of renal dopamine. Also, the influence of volume expansion (VE) and the effects of the D(1)-like agonist fenoldopam (10 microg/kg bw/min) on natriuresis and on proximal tubular Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity were examined on day 7. RESULTS: The daily urinary excretion of dopamine was decreased in PAN-treated rats, from day 5 and beyond. This was accompanied by a marked decrease in the renal AADC activity, on days 7 and 14. During VE, the fenoldopam-induced decrease in proximal tubular Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was more pronounced in PAN-treated rats than in controls. However, the urinary sodium excretion during fenoldopam infusion was markedly increased in control rats but was not altered in PAN-treated animals. CONCLUSION: PAN nephrosis is associated with a blunted renal dopaminergic system activity which may contribute to enhance the proximal tubular Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. However, the lack of renal dopamine appears not to be related with the overall renal sodium retention in a state of proteinuria.     

Immunogenicity study of low-dose administration of hepatitis B virus vaccine in newborn infants: A cost reduction trial

Different doses of hepatitis B virus vaccine—prepared by Korea Green Cross Corporation, were given to healthy infants born to HBsAg-negative mothers at birth, 1 and 6 months of age. A dose of 2 μg was administered intradermally in Group A and, in the three other groups, the vaccine was given intramuscularly (i.m.). An adequate follow-up observation was possible for 9 months after birth in 22, 25, 23 and 21 infants in Groups A, B, C and D, respecvely.
Group C (5 μg, i.m.) produced seroconversion most rapidly, showing the highest rate (96%) at 9 months of age. The lowest seroconversion rate (5%) was found at the age of 1 month in Group A subjects, but the rate increased to 91% after a booster dose was given at 6 months of age.
While it can be concluded that a 5 μg i.m. dose of vaccine at 0, 1 and 6 months of age is optimum for the immunization of infants in efficacy and economy, a 2 μg intradermal dose can also be considered as an immunogenic and economical regimen, though the immune response is slower and a special technique is required for immunization.     

Developing a Documentation System That Works

A documentation system that facilitates accurate and complete recording is needed by every obstetric/neonatal nursing service. Developing an individualized system is a major undertaking. However, specific steps can be taken to ease the process. These steps are described, beginning with the assessment phase and concluding with evaluation.     

Medullar expression of type-A natriuretic peptide receptor in an animal model of hypertension induced by renal mass ablation.

INTRODUCTION: The biological activity of the natriuretic peptide (NP) system is dependent on the balance between NP tissue levels and the local expression of their receptors. In the kidney, the natriuretic peptide receptor type A (NPR-A) is the principal receptor mediating NP activity and is mainly expressed in the renal medulla. An increase in circulating NP levels is well documented in chronic renal failure (CRF); however, the renal expression of NPR-A has not been evaluated in this condition. METHODS: Wistar-Han rats were submitted to right nephrectomy plus ablation of both poles of the left kidney (3/4nx; n=27) or were sham operated (Sham; n=22) and followed for up to 26 weeks post surgery. Blood pressure measurements were performed weekly. Two, 10 and 26 weeks after surgery, renal sodium and creatinine excretion were evaluated and the kidneys removed for NPR-A mRNA quantification by real-time PCR. The results of mRNA quantification are expressed in arbitrary units (AU) set as the mean value of the Sham group (Sham=1 AU), after normalization for GAPDH (p<0.05). weeks after surgery) and in elevated fractional sodium excretion (+270%, 26 weeks after surgery). Although sodium intake was similar in 3/4nx and Sham rats, blood pressure was higher in 3/4nx rats and increased progressively throughout the study. This was accompanied by a marked decrease in NPR-A mRNA levels in the renal medulla from 3/4nx animals at 2, 10 and 26 weeks post surgery. Conclusion: In 3/4nx rats, the expression of NPR-A in the renal medulla of the remnant kidney is markedly reduced from 2 weeks up to 26 weeks post surgery. It is suggested that this may contribute to the progressive increase in blood pressure, as well as to the renal fibrosis observed in 3/4nx rats.     

Bioimpedance analysis highlights changes in body composition at the early stages of impairment of kidney transplant function.

OBJECTIVE: Kidney transplantation restores renal filtration, although it does not achieve the function of 2 native kidneys, and with time it may involute back to chronic renal failure. We hypothesized that bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) might highlight differences for body compartments among kidney transplants (Tx) with different filtration rates. METHODS: Thirty transplantation patients (19 male, 11 female) were studied at 62.4+/-26.6 months postsurgery and were divided into 3 groups: good creatinine clearance (crCl, mL/min/1.73 m2; >65.0), borderline (35.0相似文献   

Acute toxicity of ammonia to Artemia sp.]

The acute toxicity of total ammonia-N, (NH3 + NH4+), and un-ionized ammonia-N, NH3-N, on newly hatched Artemia nauplii and Artemia adults was measured in 24, 48, 72, and 96-h semi-static bioassays system. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in medial lethal concentrations (LC50) obtained during the tests. The LC50 values on nauplii ranged from 650 mg/l, in 24-h, to 399.1 mg/l total ammonia-N, in 96-h, while the LC50 values on adults ranged from 1290.4 mg/l to 600.5 mg/l total ammonia-N, in the same period. Two methods for calculations of un-ionized ammonia toxicity are analyzed and discussed.     

44Sacral extracorporeal magnetic stimulation is an effective treatment for pelvic floor dyssynergia; Comparative study with biofeedback therapy

Background: Recent development of extracorporeal magnetic stimulation (ECMS) which uses current‐changing magnetic fields allows the induction of electrical stimulation in the desired deep tissue. Recent study showed the sacral nerve stimulation reduces corticoanal excitability that may play a functional role in anal continence mechanisms. Preliminary study shows that ECMS of sacral nerve can modify pelvic floor function and expel rectal balloon in patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia (PFD). Aims: To evaluate the effect of ECMS compared with biofeedback therapy (BF) in patients with PFD. Methods and Materials: Thirty‐eight patients who fulfilled Rome II criteria for PFD by colon transit time and anorectal function tests, were randomly treated with 8 sessions of ECMS (2/weeks; n = 19) at prone position or BF (2/weeks; n = 19) at sitting position. Stimulation parameters were set at 50–80% of maximum intensity, 10 and 50 Hz frequency, 3 s burst length with 3 and 6 s off using arm‐typed stimulator (BioCom‐1000, Mcube Co., Korea). Symptom scores for constipation with/without anorectal function test were repeatedly measured after each treatment. Response was defined as 50% or more decreased symptom score after treatment (partial response: 30–50%, poor: <30%). Results: Fifteen patients (age 49.1 ± 13.4 years, mean ± SD; 4 men) completed 8 session of BF and 14 patients (54.5 ± 17.6 years, 3 men) completed 8 session of ECMS. Four patients of BF group discontinued treatment due to unsatisfactory therapeutic effect (n = 1) and withdrew consent (n = 3) and 5 patients of ECMS group discontinued treatment because of same reasons (n = 1, 4). Total symptom scores were significantly decreased after treatment of 8 session in both treatment groups (13.4 ± 6.6 vs. 4.3 ± 4.0 for BF, p = 0.009; 14.9 ± 5.6 vs. 3.4 ± 4.0 for ECMS, p < 0.001). Bowel movements per week were also significantly increased after treatment in both groups (median 2 vs. 7 for BF, p = 0.035; median 2 vs. 7 for ECMS, p = 0.008). Thirteen out of 15 patients showed response in BF group and 12 out of 14 showed good response in ECMS group. No adverse effects in both groups. Conclusions: ECMS is as effective as BF for the treatment of PFD. Long‐term effect of ECMS for the patients with pelvic floor dyssynergia need to be evaluated in the near future.     

Loss of heterozygosity for distal markers on 22q in human gliomas.

Loss of constitutional heterozygosity as determined through the analysis of restriction-fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) on tumoral and constitutional DNA has proven to be helpful to delimit the location of tumor-suppressor genes in the human genome. In malignant gliomas this approach indicates that chromosomes 9p, 10, 17p, and 22 may contain genes of this category involved in its origin and/or progression. Regarding chromosome 22, the data so far provided by molecular studies confirmed those previously reported by cytogenetic studies, suggesting the existence of a sub-group of malignant gliomas characterized by monosomy of this chromosome. However, the precise location of the putative glioma suppressor gene on chromosome 22 remains ambiguous. We have performed a combined cytogenetic and RFLP study on a series of 31 gliomas, looking for structural abnormalities of this chromosome. In 3 instances, terminal deletions of the long arm of chromosome 22 were observed by both methodologies, suggesting that the band q13 region distal to the D22S80 marker might be the critical domain non-randomly involved in tumor suppression of gliomas.