The Clinical Spectrum of Renal Insufficiency During Acute Glomerulonephritis in the Adult

Twenty-seven adults with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis were divided into two groups according to the severity of reduction in renal function: (1) 14 patients with mild depression of renal function, and (2) 13 patients with more severe renal insufficiency. In the first group the outcome was favourable, with complete clinical recovery in 11 patients. Only two patients in the second group have recovered. Five have died of renal failure and in six the chronic stage has developed. The most notable histopathological lesion observed in this group of patients was severe proliferative glomerulonephritis with a large number of epithelial crescents. According to the mode of development and time of onset of renal failure, these 13 patients could be divided into three sub-groups: (1) early renal failure without oliguria (three patients), (2) early renal failure with severe oliguria or anuria (three patients) and (3) delayed renal failure (seven patients).Although there are exceptions, the development of renal insufficiency in an adult patient suffering from acute glomerulonephritis is usually associated with a guarded prognosis.     

Shunt effect of gas compression inside pneumotachographs during forced oscillations

Determination of the frequency response of pneumotachographs is needed whenever they are used to measure high-frequency flows, such as in the forced oscillation method. When screen and capillary pneumotachographs are calibrated using an adiabatic compression in a closed box as a reference impedance, they can be adequately described by a series of inertial-resistive elements. However, this type of reference impedance strongly differs from the actual respiratory impedance (ZL). We studied the frequency response of pneumotachographs up to 250 Hz in reference to the impedance of a compressible gas oscillating in a long tube, taken as a more generalizable model of actual ZL. We found that, with this device, the series resistance-inertance models fail to describe the frequency response of the pneumotachograph. However, when compressible effects in the pneumotachograph are taken into account by adding to the resistive models a compliance (Cpn) corresponding to the compression in half of the inner volume of the pneumotachograph, the agreement with experiments becomes satisfactory. Gas compression-related phenomena were demonstrated to be negligible only when the parameter omega Cpn magnitude of ZL is much smaller than 1 (omega pulsation). Results obtained in normal humans have shown that such a correction is required above 100 Hz. Similar correction at lower frequency might also be necessary in cases of large respiratory impedance (e.g., babies, subjects with pathological lungs, and intubated subjects).     

Incidence and duration of lactation and lactational performance among mothers of low-birth-weight and term infants.

The lactation experience of 55 mothers of 62 infants of low birth weight (2500 g or less) was prospectively compared with that of 55 mothers of 55 control infants (38 weeks'' gestation or more, birth weight more than 2500 g) born at the same institution. The incidence rates of lactation at delivery were 73% for the control group and 58% for the low-birth-weight group; 11% of the infants of low birth weight fed breast milk were never put to the breast. The mean age at first suckling was 277.3 hours in the low-birth-weight group, compared with 3.3 hours in the control group (p less than 0.0005). At first suckling 81% of the low-birth-weight infants and 25% of the control infants sucked poorly or refused the breast (p less than 0.001). At discharge 65% of the breast-milk-fed control infants were exclusively breast-fed, compared with 3% of the low-birth-weight infants fed breast milk (p less than 0.001). The incidence rates of lactation over time were similar in the control and low-birth-weight groups (51% v. 44% at 1 month, 29% v. 13% at 3 months, 13% v. 4% at 6 months and 4% v. 2% at 12 months). The mean duration of lactation was 3.2 months for the control group and 2.5 months for the low-birth-weight group. In the long term 37% of the low-birth-weight infants fed breast milk failed to breast-feed, compared with 2% of the control infants, and only 31% were exclusively breast-fed, compared with 85% of the control infants (p less than 0.001). However, the degree of satisfaction with the lactation experience was similar in the two groups. We conclude that mothers of low-birth-weight infants have good potential for lactation.     

Ca modulates outward current throughI K1 channels

Summary Inward-rectifier channels in cardiac cells (I _K1) stabilize the resting membrane potential near the K equilibrium potential. Here we investigate the role ofI _K1 in the regulation of action potentials and link this to the influx of Ca during beating. Inward Ca current alters the open-channel probability of outwardI _K1 current. Thus Ca ions depolarize cells not only by carrying an inward current but also by blocking an outward current.     

Microsomal dexamethasone binding sites identified by affinity labelling

Binding studies with [3H]dexamethasone identified a class of binding sites on male rat liver microsomes. The binding sites were glucocorticoid-dependent and specific for glucocorticoids and progestins. Scatchard binding parameters, competition studies with triamcinolone acetonide, a synthetic glucocorticoid which competes well for the glucocorticoid receptor, and immunoblotting with an antiglucocorticoid receptor antibody indicated that these sites are distinct from the cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor. Affinity labelling experiments with [3H]dexamethasone 21-mesylate revealed two specifically labelled peptides, one at approx. 66 kDa and a doublet at 45 kDa. The 66 kDa peptide had been previously identified in serum and may be present as a result of serum contamination of the microsomal preparation. The 45 kDa doublet, on the other hand, had been shown to be absent from rat serum. The characteristics of the 45 kDa peptide(s) were identical to those of the dexamethasone binding site identified in the binding studies. [3H]Dexamethasone binding characteristics and affinity labelling of microsomal subfractions, separated by isopycnic centrifugation, showed that the binding sites are located in the endoplasmic reticulum. The identification and role of the 45 kDa peptide doublet remain to be determined.     

A revision of coregonine fish distribution and abundance in eastern James-Hudson Bay

Synopsis Recent sampling programs conducted in the estuaries of the Eastmain and La Grande rivers (James Bay) and the Great Whale, Little Whale, Innuksuac and Povungnituk rivers (Hudson Bay) revealed patterns of coregonine fish distribution that differ from previous observations. The relative abundance of cisco, Coregonus artedii, and lake whitefish, C. clupeaformis, varied among rivers but did not reveal a latitudinal cline. Previous sampling programs underestimated the abundance of cisco in the Little Whale River. In addition, cisco was the third most abundant species captured in the Povungnituk River, situated 200 km to the north of the previously proposed northern limit at Innuksuac River. As such, the low abundances of cisco in the Great Whale and Innuksuac rivers cannot be attributed to a physiological inability to cope with a reduced growing season. Immature cisco were almost totally absent from the estuaries of the Hudson Bay rivers following spring breakup whereas immature lake whitefish made up 100% of the catch in the Innuksuac River at the same time of year. Species-specific migration patterns in Hudson Bay that differ from those observed in James Bay and the existence of unique juvenile overwintering rivers are 2 hypotheses proposed to explain the discontinuous age-class distribution of cisco and lake whitefish observed in Hudson Bay.Contribution to the program of GIROQ (Groupe Interuniversitaire de Recherche Océanographique du Québec).     

Response to Phosphate Deprivation in Brassica nigra Suspension Cells : Enhancement of Intracellular, Cell Surface, and Secreted Phosphatase Activities Compared to Increases in Pi-Absorption Rate

Suspension cells of Brassica nigra responded to Pi deprivation by increasing their potential for Pi influx and by raising the active levels of intracellular, cell surface, and secreted acid phosphatases. These responses, however, were temporally distinct. Phosphate influx capacity increased 15-fold in parallel to a 10-fold decrease in endogenous Pi during 7 days of culture in basal growth medium. In contrast, intracellular and cell surface phosphatase activities changed only after alterations in cellular phosphorus status had been in place for a number of days. Even in nutrient sufficient cells the secretion of phosphatase remained relatively high as did the activities of the other phosphatases. The cell surface acid phosphatase had a K_m of approximately 10 times that of the influx process and molybdate was a much stronger inhibitor of this phosphatase activity. From these results it appears that Pi absorption and the production or activation of phosphatases are regulated in a distinct manner. In addition, Pi uptake into Brassica nigra cells does not appear to directly involve the cell surface phosphatase under Pi-deficient conditions.     

Cytogenetic and molecular investigations of an abnormal Y chromosome: evidence for a pseudo-dicentric (Yq) isochromosome.

A derivative Y chromosome was found in a 55-year-old man with Lambert-Eaton paraneoplasic pseudomyastheniform disease. Small testicles, azoospermia were noticed and hormonal level values were as in the Klinefelter syndrome. A 45,X/46,XYp+ mosa?cism was described on peripheral blood lymphocytes. Cytogenetic investigations with R-G-C- and Q-banding have been performed. In situ hybridization with the GMGY 10 DNA probe showed two copies of proximal Yp sequences. Southern blot analyses were performed using the Y DNA probes 27a, 47z, 64a7, 50f2 disclosing specific Yp and Yq sequences from the pseudoautosomal boundary to the Yq proximal portion. The der(Y) has been defined as a dicentric isochromosome for the long arm with one active and one apparently suppressed centromere. The breakpoint leading to the der(Y), has been located in the pairing segment of the Y short arm (i.e. Yp11.32). So the der(Y) was interpreted as a psu dic(Y) (qter-->cen-->p11.32 ::p11.32-->qter). There was thus an almost complete duplication of the Y chromosome.     

A serum-free system for culturing human placental trophoblasts

Summary We have compared hormone production by early gestation and term human placental trophoblasts cultured in Ham's F10 medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum with that by cells cultured in serum-free HB102 medium. Mean daily production of progesterone on Days 3 to 7 was approximately 25% less by both early gestation and term cells cultured in HB102 as compared to Ham's F10, but production was maintained at a stable level for at least 7 d longer than the cells in Ham's. Estradiol production from 10⁻⁶ M dehydroepiandrosterone by both early gestation and term cells was comparable in both media. Human placental lactogen production on Days 3 to 7 was 40% less by cells cultured in HB102. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) output by early gestation cells was also 50% less in HB102 but term cells in HB102 produced twice as much hCG as those in Ham's F10. 3B-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3BHSD) activity in early gestation and term cells and 11B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11BHSD) activity of early gestation cultures was comparable in the two media. 11BHSD activity was decreased in the term cultures, and this decrease was more marked in Ham's than in HB102. Sulfatase and aromatase activities in the early gestation cultures were comparable in both media; sulfatase activity was comparable and aromatase activity only 20% less in the term cells cultured in HB102. These results indicate that serum-free HB102 supports differential function of human trophoblast cells and is useful for studies of placental activity for as long as 14 d in culture.