Serum albumin adjusted calcium and fluoride among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

The regulation of glucose-dependent insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells relies on calcium concentration, making it a calcium-dependent process. Disruptions in calcium homeostasis may contribute to insulin dysfunction and disturbances in glucose homeostasis, potentially playing a role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In T2DM patients, there may be changes in fluoride metabolism due to impaired renal function. Measurement of serum albumin-adjusted calcium and is crucial since changes in albumin levels can impact the accurate estimation of true calcium.

Neurobehavioural and Neurochemical Changes in Arsenic Induced Cerebellar Toxicity in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats: An Experimental Study

Introduction: Sodium arsenite, an inorganic arsenic, is naturally present at high level (>50 μg/L) in ground water. Drinking ground water is the biggest threat to public health. Though, there are numerous reports on arsenic neurotoxicity, the arsenic effect on cerebellar neurotoxicity remains vague especially its chronic effect on its neurobehavioural and neurochemical alterations. Aim: To evaluate the neurobehavioural and neurochemical alterations caused by sodium arsenite in cerebellum of rats. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted in the Central Animal House at Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research (SDUAHER) from November 2019 to February 2020 for a period of 90 days. Total 16 male spraguedawley rats were randomised into two equal groups. Group I: Control, received normal saline. Group II: Sodium arsenite, Doses of 50 Parts per Millions (PPM) for 90 days through oral gavage. Rats were subjected to Open Field Test (OFT) for locomotor and exploratory behaviour and Beam Walking Test (BWT) for motor coordination and balance. Following behavioural tests, rats were anaesthetised. Blood was drawn from a retro-orbital puncture. Brains were dissected and cerebellum was separated. Concentration of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric Oxide (NO) and activity of Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) were assessed spectrophotometrically in serum and cerebellum of rats. Mean±SD was used for normally distributed data and groups were compared using independent t-test, whereas for non normally distributed data, Median (25th-75th Percentile) was used and Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare between two groups. Results: Arsenic-treated rats showed a significant increase in arsenic concentration in serum and cerebellum (5.5±1.6 ng/mL, 2.76±0.56 µg/g, respectively) compared to control (1.14±0.43 ng/mL, 0.65±0.29 µg/g, respectively). There was a significant decrease in locomotor and exploratory behaviour and impairment in motor coordination and balance in arsenic treated rats with a p-value <0.001 in comparison with control rats. The arsenic treated rats had significantly enhanced concentration of MDA and NO level and reduced activity of GPx in serum {16.84 (13.84-18.87), 33.79 (30.05-37.17) nmol/mL, and 6.89 (5.24- 8.5) mmoles of Reduced glutathione (GSH) oxidised/min/mL, respectively} compared to control {8.81 (8.36-9.48), 17.66 (15.33-21.29) nmol/mL, and 15.16 (12.77-16.59) mmoles of GSH oxidised/min/mL, respectively} and also found increased concentration of MDA and NO level and reduced activity of GPx in tissue {7.98 (7.14-8.92), 24.67 (21.4-28-22) nmol/mg of protein and 2.66 (1.19-3.86) mmoles of GSH oxidised/min/ mg protein, respectively} compared to control {3.02 (2.35-3.61), 13.93 (11.0-16.16) nmol/mg of protein and 7.63 (7.08-9.19) mmoles of GSH oxidised/min/mg protein, respectively}. Conclusion: The oral administration of sodium arsenite at the doses of 50 PPM for 90 days showed interesting alterations in neurobehavioural and neurochemical parameters related to cerebellum of rats.

Peritonitis due to Neisseria mucosa in an adolescent receiving peritoneal dialysis

Neisseria mucosa is part of the normal nasopharyngeal flora and rarely pathogenic in humans. Reports of serious infections associated with this pathogen are very unusual. A 17-year-old boy with end-stage renal disease due to IgA nephropathy presented with acute, spontaneous, symptomatic peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis without reported break in sterility or PD catheter exit site infection. beta-lactamase-negative N. mucosa was isolated from the dialysate effluent. Intraperitoneal antibiotic treatment with cephalothin/gentamicin for 5 days and subsequent ceftriaxone led to complete resolution of the infection. This case demonstrates that "non-pathogenic" Neisseria species can cause clinically severe peritonitis with high intraperitoneal neutrophil counts, elevated C-reactive protein levels in the peritoneal effluent (in the presented case, 27,600/mul and 3.6 mg/l, respectively) and impaired peritoneal membrane transport function. To our knowledge, this is the first case of N. mucosa peritonitis complicating chronic peritoneal dialysis in an adolescent patient.

Pediatric biopsy of a single native kidney

Technological improvements have reduced the frequency of complications in children receiving a percutaneous renal biopsy. No study has systematically compared the safety of open and percutaneous kidney biopsy. Yet many nephrologists consider a single native kidney an absolute contraindication to percutaneous biopsy. We have established an international registry of single native kidney biopsies in children and we now report our early results. Eight biopsies are included. Seven patients had percutaneous biopsies and one an open biopsy. None of the patients had major complications, and adequate tissue was obtained from all. Our limited experience indicates that the presence of a single native kidney is not an absolute indication for an open approach. We encourage our colleagues to report to the international registry in order to further document the safety of percutaneous biopsy of the single native kidney in children.

Molecular cloning of KS, a novel rat gene expressed exclusively in the kidney

BACKGROUND

We aimed to identify genes with kidney specific, developmentally regulated expression. Here we report the cDNA sequence and expression pattern of KS, a novel kidney-specific rat gene.

METHODS

A partial cDNA was identified by differential display polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of a renal cell fraction enriched for proximal tubular and renin-expressing cells. Using the partial cDNA as a probe, a rat kidney cDNA library was screened. The full-length KS sequence was obtained by PCR amplification of cDNA ends. The expression pattern of KS was investigated by Northern blot. RNA was extracted from several organs of newborn and adult rats, as well as from the kidneys of rats with altered tubular function, that is, rats that had undergone unilateral nephrectomy, unilateral ureteral obstruction, neonatal losartan treatment, and the appropriate control animals. The expression of KS was also investigated in the kidneys of rats with spontaneous or renovascular hypertension.

RESULTS

The KS cDNA (2426 bp) contained one open reading frame encoding a predicted 572 amino acid protein. The derived peptide sequence displayed approximately 70% similarity to the hypertension-related SA gene product and approximately 50% similarity to prokaryotic and eukaryotic acetyl-CoA synthases (EC 6. 2.1.1). KS was expressed in the kidney and not in any other organ assayed. KS RNA was not detected in fetal and newborn rat kidney but became apparent after one week of postnatal life. Gene expression was downregulated in rat models of altered tubular function. KS expression was decreased in spontaneously hypertensive rats but not in renovascular hypertension.

CONCLUSION

KS, a novel rat gene, exhibits a unique tissue-specific expression exclusively in mature kidneys. The data suggest KS may encode an adenosine monophosphate binding enzyme.

Hyperimmune human IgG or recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor as adjunctive therapy for group B streptococcal sepsis in newborn rats

Group B streptococcus (GBS) continues to cause considerable morbidity and death in newborn infants despite the use of antibiotics. We investigated the use of adjunctive therapies to be used with antibiotics in the treatment of neonatal sepsis, using a neonatal rat model of established GBS disease. After the development of GBS bacteremia, a human IgG preparation hyperimmune for GBS, administered with penicillin, decreased the mortality rate compared with the use of penicillin alone (14% vs 57%; p = 0.02). Similarly, recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, administered in a range of doses to animals with bacteremia, decreased mortality rates. The greatest effect was noted at a dose of 0.05 micrograms/kg (mortality rate 39% in combination with penicillin vs 76% for penicillin alone; p < 0.0001). Thus adjunctive therapies such as those studied here may have the potential to improve the outcome of neonatal sepsis.