Nephrotic syndrome in a mother and her infant: relationship with cytomegalovirus infection

This case report describes infantile nephrotic syndrome (NS) in a baby girl with a clinically severe cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Culture of the baby's urine was positive for CMV and IgM anti-CMV antibodies were detected. After an unsuccessful course of corticosteroids, gancyclovir treatment was started and a remission of cutaneous, pulmonary, and renal symptoms was achieved. As the mother also developed NS at the end of pregnancy, a common etiology could be postulated, although there were no signs of recent CMV infection in the mother, only anti-CMV IgG. The relationship between CMV infection and glomerular disease is still unclear: NS may represent another manifestation of CMV disease.     

Stable preference for high ethanol concentrations after ethanol deprivation in Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) rats.

Results of a recent study have demonstrated that exposure to multiple ethanol concentrations and repeated ethanol deprivation periods in Indiana ethanol-preferring (P) rats resulted in the development of an alcohol deprivation effect (ADE; the temporary increase in voluntary ethanol intake after a period of deprivation from ethanol) characterized by consumption of intoxicating amounts of ethanol. The current study was designed to possibly extend these results to Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) rats, generated with the same selective program previously used for P rats. To this aim, ethanol-naive sP rats were exposed initially to the home cage four-bottle choice [10%, 20%, and 30% (vol./vol.) ethanol solutions and water] for eight consecutive weeks. Subsequently, rats were divided into two groups: The first group had continuous access to the four-bottle regimen (nondeprived rats), and the second group was exposed to five cycles of 14-day periods of deprivation from ethanol and 14-day periods of reexposure to the four-bottle regimen. An ADE developed after each deprivation period. However, the extra intake of ethanol was limited to the first hour of each reaccess period. Magnitude of ADE did not change with repeated periods of deprivation. However, a shift in preference toward the two highest concentrations of ethanol solutions was evident from the first reexposure to ethanol and was maintained throughout the study. These results provide further evidence on the heterogeneity of ethanol-drinking behavior among rat lines selectively bred for high ethanol preference and consumption.     

Chronic peritoneal dialysis in paediatrics: Experience of a national registry

The results of the first 3 year' collaboration of the Italian Registry of Paediatric Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis (CPD) (1986–1988) are presented. This Registry acquired data on the majority of the paediatric patients treated with CPD in Italy, thus providing a national picture in a field where few nationwide surveys are available. Patients of less than 15 years of age at the start of dialysis were enrolled and clinical data collected until the age of 19 years. The number of nephrological paediatric centres participating in the Registry increased from 7 in 1986 to 11 in 1988. The total number of patients on CPD was 70 and the percentage of dialysed children treated with CPD ranged from 40.2% to 43.6%. Data on 89 peritoneal catheters were collected: during 1417 dialysis-months 70 catheter-related complications were observed (1:20.8 dialysis-months); actuarial catheter survival was 92.7% at 6 months, 84.8% at 1 year and 68.8% at 2 years. The incidence of peritonitis changed from 1 episode every 10.9 patient-months in 1986 to 1 every 19.8 in 1988. Abdominal hernias were the other main clinical complication observed. The survival of patients was 92.5% at 3 years, while the technique survival at the same time was 84%.     

Prevalence of hepatitis C infection in a hemodialysis unit.

To define the prevalence of NANB hepatitis, anti-HCV antibodies were determined in 51 patients on renal replacement therapy, in 7 transplanted patients and 17 staff members of the hemodialysis unit. Anti-HCV antibodies were evaluated using immunoenzymatic methods (Ortho HCV ELISA Test System, 1st and 2nd generation). Among hemodialysis patients, seroconversion was respectively documented in 17.6% (9/51) and 52.9% (27/51); none of the transplanted patients were positive with the 1st generation test, while 3/7 were positive with the 2nd. No statistically significant difference was found in the prevalence antibodies between transfused and nontransfused patients. ALT levels were statistically greater in patients with anti-HCV antibodies (X2 2nd generation = 8.83; p less than 0.01). Our results suggest: (1) that hemodialysis represents a risk factor; (2) the validity of substitute markers and (3) more sensitivity of the 2nd than 1st generation test.     

Problems in the design of anticancer agents

Theoretically, two predominant paths for obtaining more selective anticancer agents may be envisaged. These are: (a) to make compounds which distribute only or preferentially in cancer cells; (b) to make compounds that are able selectively to kill or to differentiate cancer cells. Although in the last two decades research into new anticancer drugs has not produced satisfactory results, there is solid ground on which novel strategies can be developed, mainly based on a much greater biological knowledge of human tumours. This article does not review all the possible approaches that may be followed, but simply discusses some ideas and problems mainly taken from the current research of our laboratory.     

MRI, antibody-guided scintigraphy, and glucose metabolism in uveal melanoma.

To evaluate the usefulness of structural and biochemical imaging techniques for the diagnosis of uveal melanoma, 12 patients with choroidal melanoma were examined. Magnetic resonance imaging was used in 11 of 12 patients, as one had a metal prosthesis. All the subjects underwent single photon planar scintigraphy (SPPS) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using the 99mTc-labeled F(ab')2 of the anti-melanoma monoclonal antibody 225.28S ([99mTc]MoAb) and positron emission tomography (PET) using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG). Magnetic resonance identified 6 of 11 melanotic lesions (definite melanomas) and 4 of 11 hypomelanotic lesions (probable melanomas), whereas in one case it was inconclusive. [99mTc]MoAb uptake was observed in 5 of 12 lesions using SPPS and 8 of 12 lesions using SPECT. [18F]FDG uptake was observed in 3 of 12 lesions by PET. These results demonstrate that both MR and radioimmunoscintigraphy are sensitive techniques for the diagnosis of choroidal melanomas and suggest that the detection of melanomas by MR, SPPS, and SPECT is largely dependent upon their size. The validity of these conclusions was verified in four subjects in whom the diagnosis was based on MR and/or SPECT findings only and confirmed by histology. The finding that only some of the uveal melanomas of larger size are visualized based on [18F]FDG uptake suggests that melanomas can have either high or low glucose consumption.