Diabetes insipidus in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Background: Transient diabetes insipidus may rarely present during late pregnancy and/or the immediate puerperium, and if unrecognized, may cause neurologic injury and threaten the lives of mother and fetus. However, when recognized early and treatment is initiated with desmopressin acetate, an analog of vasopressin that is resistant to vasopressinase, water loss in the urine is eliminated and complications may be abrogated. This report aims to increase the awareness of this disorder and describes appropriate treatment.

Insulin-induced phosphorylation of ENaC correlates with increased sodium channel function in A6 cells.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a correlation between phosphorylation and activity of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). The three subunits that form the channel were immunoprecipitated from A6 cells by using specific polyclonal antibodies after labeling cells with (35)S or (32)P. When immune complexes were resolved on SDS-PAGE, the alpha-subunit migrated at 85 and 65 kDa, the beta-subunit at 115 and 100 kDa, and the gamma-subunit at 90 kDa.

One-year health assessment of adult survivors of Bacillus anthracis infection.

Context: Little is known about potential long-term health effects of bioterrorism-related Bacillus anthracis infection.

Objective: To describe the relationship between anthrax infection and persistent somatic symptoms among adults surviving bioterrorism-related anthrax disease approximately 1 year after illness onset in 2001.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Cross-sectional study of 15 of 16 adult survivors from September through December 2002 using a clinical interview, a medical review-of-system questionnaire, 2 standardized self-administered questionnaires, and a review of available medical records.

An outbreak of foodborne botulism associated with food sold at a salvage store in Texas.

Foodborne botulism is caused by potent neurotoxins of Clostridium botulinum. We investigated a large outbreak of foodborne botulism among church supper attendees in Texas. We conducted a cohort study of attendees and investigated the salvage store that sold the implicated foods.

Mannitol and dopamine in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass: a randomized clinical trial.

Unlabelled: In this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study, we determined the effects of two commonly used adjuncts, mannitol and dopamine, on beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)M) excretion rates in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). beta(2)M excretion rate has been described as a sensitive marker of proximal renal tubular function. One-hundred patients with a preoperative serum creatinine level View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Adherence to antimicrobial inhalational anthrax prophylaxis among postal workers, Washington, D.C., 2001.

In October 2001, two envelopes containing Bacillus anthracis spores were processed at the Washington, D.C., Processing and Distribution Center of the U.

Antimicrobial postexposure prophylaxis for anthrax: adverse events and adherence.

We collected data during postexposure antimicrobial prophylaxis campaigns and from a prophylaxis program evaluation 60 days after start of antimicrobial prophylaxis involving persons from six U.S. sites where Bacillus anthracis exposures occurred.

Inhalational anthrax outbreak among postal workers, Washington, D.C., 2001.

In October 2001, four cases of inhalational anthrax occurred in workers in a Washington, D.C., mail facility that processed envelopes containing Bacillus anthracis spores.

Opening a bacillus anthracis-containing envelope, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: the public health response.

On October 15, 2001, a U.S. Senate staff member opened an envelope containing Bacillus anthracis spores.

Investigation of bioterrorism-related anthrax, United States, 2001: epidemiologic findings.

In October 2001, the first inhalational anthrax case in the United States since 1976 was identified in a media company worker in Florida. A national investigation was initiated to identify additional cases and determine possible exposures to Bacillus anthracis. Surveillance was enhanced through health-care facilities, laboratories, and other means to identify cases, which were defined as clinically compatible illness with laboratory-confirmed B.

Basolateral and apical A1 adenosine receptors mediate sodium transport in cultured renal epithelial (A6) cells.

There are conflicting reports in the literature regarding the adenosine receptor that mediates the increase in sodium transport in the A6 cell. In this study we used specific A1 and A2 adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists, as well as two different subclones of the A6 cell, to determine which adenosine receptor mediates the increase in sodium transport. In the A6S2 subclone, basolateral and apical N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA), a selective A1 receptor agonist, stimulated sodium transport at a threshold concentration <10(-7) M, whereas CGS-21680, a selective A2 receptor agonist, had a threshold concentration that was at least 10(-5) M.

Disaster planning and emergency preparedness: lessons learned.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the federal response plan was activated immediately, with most efforts focused on helping recovery workers at Ground Zero in New York City. Comprehensive pharmacy services were critical in protecting the health of those potentially exposed to anthrax at U.S.

On the natriuretic effect of verapamil: inhibition of ENaC and transepithelial sodium transport.

The natriuretic effect of Ca(2+) channel blockers has been attributed to hemodynamic changes and to poorly defined direct tubular effects. To test the possibility that verapamil may inhibit Na(+) reabsorption at the distal tubule, its effect on transepithelial Na(+) transport in aldosterone-stimulated A6 cells was determined. Cells were grown on permeable supports, and short-circuit current (I(sc)) measured in an Ussing chamber was used as a surrogate marker for transepithelial Na(+) transport.

Hypertension treatment patterns in American Indians: the strong heart study.

Pharmacologic treatment patterns for hypertensive American Indians from 13 communities in Arizona, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and North Dakota were assessed. Participants (2254 women and 1384 men, aged 48 to 79 years) completed a clinical examination between July 1993 and December 1995. The mean of two blood pressure (BP) measurements and detailed medication histories were obtained.

Dilutional hyponatremia in preeclampsia with and without nephrotic syndrome.

This report includes cases of hyponatremia in preeclampsia. Two patients were identified with preeclampsia complicated by hyponatremia, one with and the other without nephrotic syndrome. Together with 3 cases of hyponatremia recently reported, these additional cases from the same geographic area suggest that hyponatremia is not a rare complication of preeclampsia.

TECHNICAL NOTE: measurement of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity using a fluorescent-labeled kemptide.

Background: Traditional protein kinase assays include the use of [32P] labeled ATP as phosphate donor and a substrate protein or peptide as phosphoreceptor. Since this approach has a number of drawbacks in addition to generating ionizing radiation, several non-isotopic methods have been developed. Although shown to reflect the activity of purified enzymes, none have been demonstrated to detect physiological changes in endogenous enzyme activity in cell homogenates.

Dilutional hyponatremia in pre-eclampsia.

Objective: The objective of this report is to describe a defect in water metabolism, characterized by hyponatremia, in patients with pre-eclampsia-induced nephrotic syndrom.

Study Design: This was an observational study of 3 women.

Results: Hyponatremia was observed in 3 women with pre-eclampsia characterized by various extrarenal manifestations, as well as by nephrotic syndrome with normal or nearly normal renal function.

Vasopressin-induced activation of protein kinase C in renal epithelial cells.

Recent studies indicate that the actions of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and other agonists that stimulate electrogenic sodium transport in renal epithelial A6 cells are linked to a Ca(2+)-mobilizing signal transduction mechanism that involves generation of inositol trisphosphate. Since diacylglycerol is the other product in this pathway, studies were performed to determine the possible role of PKC in the stimulation of sodium transport. AVP induced a biphasic increase in diacylglycerol generation, characterized by an initial rapid rise and then a sustained elevation, and PKC activation, reflected by phosphorylation of a specific 80 kDa myristoylated alanine-rich PKC substrate (MARCKS).

Renal insufficiency after intravenous immune globulin therapy: a report of two cases and an analysis of the literature.

Over the past decade, intravenous immune globulin therapy (IVIG) has gained widespread use for a variety of clinical disorders. IVIG treatment is associated with a number of complications, including acute renal failure (ARF). Although the cause of IVIG-associated ARF is unknown, it may be related to the stabilizing agent used in the IVIG preparation.

Identification and characterization of MARCKS in Xenopus laevis.

MARCKS proteins are widely distributed in mammalian cells and subserve an important role as probes in the examination of signal transduction processes because they are specific endogenous phosphoreceptors for activated protein kinase C. Experiments were performed to determine whether MARCKS proteins are present in amphibia and to show their usefulness as substrates for stimulated PKC activation, using cultured renal epithelial cells (A6) derived from Xenopus laevis as an experimental model.

Novel effect of insulin: insulin-stimulated Na+ transport is mediated by hydrolysis of phosphoinositides.

Previous studies showed that insulin stimulation of electrogenic Na+ transport in renal epithelial cells is mediated by a calcium-dependent signal transduction mechanism. The present study was performed to determine whether the insulin-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ (Cai2+) was mediated by hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol and release of inositol trisphosphate. Experiments were conducted with cultured A6 cells, derived from Xenopus Laevis, grown on permeable supports.

Outcome of pregnancy in women with moderate or severe renal insufficiency.

Background: Pregnant women with mild preexisting renal disease have relatively few complications of pregnancy, but the risks of maternal and obstetrical complications in women with moderate or severe renal insufficiency remain uncertain.

Methods: We determined the frequency and types of maternal and obstetrical complications and the outcomes of pregnancy in 67 women with primary renal disease (82 pregnancies). All the women had initial serum creatinine concentrations of at least 1.

Correlation of open cell-attached and excised patch clamp techniques.

The excised patch clamp configuration provides a unique technique for some types of single channel analyses, but maintenance of stable, long-lasting preparations may be confounded by rundown and/or rapid loss of seal. Studies were performed on the amiloride-sensitive Na+ channel, located on the apical surface of A6 cells, to determine whether the nystatin-induced open cell-attached patch could serve as an alternative configuration. Compared to excised inside-out patches, stable preparations were achieved more readily with the open cell-attached patch (9% vs.