No effect of diclofenac on the pharmacokinetics of cloxacillin.

We studied the influence of diclofenac on the pharmacokinetics of cloxacillin in healthy volunteers, 60 years or older, as well as the possible effect of cloxacillin and diclofenac on urinary protein excretion. In a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study 15 subjects were given 1 g cloxacillin, and placebo or 75 mg diclofenac, as single intravenous doses. Plasma concentrations of cloxacillin were followed over 10.

Apolipoprotein-E genotyping in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are characterized by progressive neuronal loss and microvacuolization, although with different distributions of cortical involvement. In contrast to AD there is no amyloid, senile plaques or tangles in FTD. The involvement of chromosome 19 in AD has been associated with apoliprotein E (ApoE) and the epsilon 4 gene frequency has been related to increased risk and early onset of AD.

Decreased excretion of urine glycosaminoglycans as marker in renal amyloidosis.

Background: The diagnosis of renal amyloidosis is normally established by kidney biopsy. In order to advance the determination of the diagnosis and the initiation of the therapy, fast and cheap, non-invasive diagnostic techniques are required.

Methods: Urine excretion of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) was measured in 10 patients with AA amyloidosis and 5 patients with AL amyloidosis and compared to 25 controls with primary glomerular diseases and 22 healthy controls.

Cystatin E is a novel human cysteine proteinase inhibitor with structural resemblance to family 2 cystatins.

A new member of the human cystatin superfamily, called cystatin E, has been found by expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing in amniotic cell and fetal skin epithelial cell cDNA libraries. The sequence of a full-length amniotic cell cDNA clone contained an open reading frame encoding a putative 28-residue signal peptide and a mature protein of 121 amino acids, including four cysteine residues and motifs of importance for the inhibitory activity of Family 2 cystatins like cystatin C. Recombinant cystatin E was produced in a baculovirus expression system and isolated.

Albumin adducts in plasma from workers exposed to toluene diisocyanate.

Desalted plasma from a 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diisocyanate (2,4- and 2,6-TDI) exposed worker at a factory producing flexible polyurethane foam was separated and fractionated into 200 fractions using ion-exchange chromatography followed by a gel-filtration separation and fractionation into 59 fractions. The corresponding amines (to the isocyanates), 2,4- and 2,6-toluenediamine (2,4- and 2,6-TDA), were determined in each fraction after sulfuric acid hydrolysis as pentafluoropropionic anhydride derivatives by capillary gas chromatography and chemical ionisation mass spectrometry monitoring negative ions. The ion exchange fractions containing TDA (81-115) were added together and the solution was separated and fractionated on the gel-filtration column.

Long-term stability of albumin, protein HC, immunoglobulin G, kappa- and lambda-chain-immunoreactivity, orosomucoid and alpha 1-antitrypsin in urine stored at -20 degrees C.

The stability of albumin, protein HC, immunoglobulin G, kappa- and lambda-chain immunoreactivity, orosomucoid and alpha 1-antitrypsin in urine stored at -20 degrees C for up to 24 months was investigated. Significant decreases of the median concentration values for protein HC, IgG and alpha 1-antitrypsin were observed for native urine. Addition to urine of a preservative solution containing benzamidinium chloride, EDTA, tris(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane and azide prevented the decreases of the concentration values for protein HC and IgG but not for alpha 1-antitrypsin.

Renal impairment after hip or knee arthroplasty. Urinary excretion of protein markers studied in 59 patients.

We studied renal function during and after surgery in 38 patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR) and 21 patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR). Serum creatinine and renal excretion of albumin, IgG, protein HC and creatinine were recorded preoperatively and on days 1, 2, 4, and 8. THR patients were randomized to treatment with (n 17) or without (n 21) prophylactic isoxazolyl penicillins, which all TKR patients had.

Analysis of proteinuria: reference limits for urine excretion of albumin, protein HC, immunoglobulin G, kappa- and lambda-immunoreactivity, orosomucoid and alpha 1-antitrypsin.

Efficient use of assessment of urine protein excretion in nephrological practice requires adequate reference intervals. To determine the upper reference limits of urine albumin, protein HC (alpha 1-microglobulin, immunoglobulin G (IgG), orosomucoid (alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and kappa- and lambda-chain immunoreactivities, the concentrations of these proteins were measured in urine samples from 95 healthy, adult individuals, using rapid, generally available methods and with conditions for urine collection which secured stable protein levels. The obtained values were expressed in mg 1(-1), as the urine protein-creatinine index and as fractional protein-creatinine clearance.

Renal handling of radiolabelled human cystatin C in the rat.

Serum cystatin C concentration correlates negatively with glomerular filtration rate as well as or better than that of serum creatinine, suggesting a constant formation, and elimination from extracellular fluid mainly by glomerular filtration. It is not known, however, how well the renal plasma clearance of this 13-kDa basic polypeptide matches the glomerular filtration rate. This was investigated in rats during control conditions and after reduced renal perfusion pressure.

Survey of British clinicians' views on management of patients in persistent vegetative state.

Background: The best care and management of patients in persistent vegetative state (PVS) has been the subject of sustained moral and legal debate for a number of years. However, the views of clinicians in the UK involved in caring for patients in PVS are largely unknown.

Methods: A postal questionnaire was sent to 1882 consultant members of the British Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Association of British Neurologists, the Society of British Neurosurgeons, and the British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine.