Subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum as a complication of an asthma attack.

Introduction: Simultaneous subcutaneous emphysema, spontaneous pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum are complications rarely observed synchronously during an acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. Although spontaneous pneumothorax has already been reported in asthma patients in the literature, its concurrence with subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum is extremely rare except for iatrogenic conditions.

Case Study: We describe a patient who presented to the emergency room with progressive dyspnea and chest pain.

Development of a non-heart-beating donor program and results after the first year.

Our lung transplant unit began activity in October 2008. We have performed 37 lung transplants with a hospital mortality of 2.7% (n = 1).

Monogenic and polygenic models detected in steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency-related paediatric hyperandrogenism.

Aims: Hyperandrogenism, although mostly due to polygenic interactions, is monogenic for some enzymatic adrenal deficiencies. This study evaluates mono- and biallelic 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD)-related hyperandrogenism in pediatric patients. Sensitizing and protective polymorphisms were investigated in carriers and cryptic forms of 21OHD.

Asymmetrical response of aminopeptidase A and nitric oxide in plasma of normotensive and hypertensive rats with experimental hemiparkinsonism.

Aminopeptidases and dopamine (DA) exhibit asymmetries in the brain that are reflected in the peripheral response to unilateral striatal DA depletions (experimental hemiparkinsonism). This might be due to asymmetries in the autonomic innervation of the peripheral vessels. Nitric oxide (NO) is released through vascular sympathetic activation.

Role of aminopeptidases in the neuroendocrine control of blood pressure in experimental animals.

Control of blood pressure is partially accomplished by several proteolytic enzymes included in the renin-angiotensin system. These enzymes produce several peptides that form the active components of the system. Study of these enzymes is essential for a deep understanding of blood pressure control and could offer the possibility of controlling this system pharmacologically.

Human serum pyroglutamyl-beta-naphthylamide hydrolyzing activity during development and aging.

Pyroglutamyl-beta-naphthylamide hydrolyzing activity (pGluHA) is reported to be capable of removing the amino-terminal pyroglutamic acid residue from peptides (e.g. TRH or GnRH) and artificial substrates.

Incidence and prevalence of type 1 diabetes in children aged <15 yr in Castilla-Leon (Spain).

Objectives: To determine the incidence and prevalence of type 1 diabetes in children younger than 15 yr in the Autonomous Community of Castilla-Leon (Spain).

Research Design And Methods: All type 1 diabetic cases with onset at <15 yr of age were recorded during 2003-2004. Identified case subjects were ascertained from several sources and the capture-recapture method was used to estimate the completeness of ascertainment.

Brain aminopeptidases and hypertension.

The brain aminopeptidases that participate in the enzymatic cascade of the renin-angiotensin system play a major role in blood pressure (BP) control, and their study offers new perspectives for the understanding of central BP control and the treatment of hypertension. In this system, angiotensin II is converted to angiotensin III (Ang III) by glutamyl aminopeptidase (GluAP) and Ang III is further metabolised to angiotensin IV by alanyl aminopeptidase or arginine-aminopeptidase. It is now clear that Ang III is the key active form of the central angiotensins, exerting tonic stimulatory control over BP.

Gene duplications in 21-hydroxylase deficiency: the importance of accurate molecular diagnosis in carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis.

Background: The detection of 21-OH deficiency (21OHD) carriers in the general population requires that misinterpretations of apparently severe mutations in alleles carrying duplicated genes be avoided. Prenatal treatment prevents virilization in female fetuses and genetic counseling may be offered to couples in which one partner is either a patient or a carrier. This paper proposes a semiquantitative PCR method involving primer extension that distinguishes the severe point mutation Q318X in single gene copy alleles from the normal/nondeficient variant in gene-duplicated alleles.

Atrial angiotensinase activity in hypothyroid, euthyroid, and hyperthyroid rats.

Thyroid dysfunction produces marked cardiovascular responses. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism cause important changes in the circulating renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Modifications in cardiac RAS have also been involved in cardiovascular alterations.

Influence of thyroid disorders on kidney angiotensinase activity.

Thyroid disorders affect renal function, which involves changes in local renin angiotensin system (RAS). Angiotensin peptide levels in the tissue are regulated by the activity of several aminopeptidases (AP) known as angiotensinases. The nature and consequences of the thyroid-induced RAS changes are not completely understood.

Angiotensinase activities in the kidney of renovascular hypertensive rats.

In spite of the well-known contribution of angiotensin II (Ang II) in the pathogenesis of Goldblatt two-kidney one clip (G2K1C) hypertension, the importance of other Ang peptides, such as Ang III, Ang IV or Ang 2-10, is scarcely understood. The functional status of these peptides depends on the action of several aminopeptidases called angiotensinases. The metabolism of Ang III to Ang IV by aminopeptidase M (AlaAP) and of Ang I to Ang 2-10 by aspartyl aminopeptidase (AspAP) was evaluated in the renal cortex and medulla of normotensive (Sham-operated) and hypertensive (G2K1C) rats, treated or not with the AT(1) receptor antagonist valsartan.

Aminopeptidase activity in renovascular hypertension.

Background: Renovascular hypertension is accompanied by increased renin-angiotensin system activity. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is degraded by aminopeptidases into various metabolites. Increased Ang II production and decreased Ang II degradation may have pathological consequences in maintaining high tissue/plasma Ang II levels.

Effect of valsartan on angiotensin II- and vasopressin-degrading activities in the kidney of normotensive and hypertensive rats.

Valsartan, a selective antagonist of angiotensin II at the AT(1) receptor subtype, is an efficacious, orally active, blood pressure-lowering agent used in hypertensive patients. Given that aminopeptidases (APs) play a major role in the metabolism of local peptides involved in blood pressure control, studying them helped us to understand cardiovascular control. We studied the effect of valsartan on angiotensin II- (GluAP) and vasopressin- (CysAP) degrading activities in the kidney in the rat model of renovascular hypertension, Goldblatt two-kidney one-clip.

[Low sensitivity of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and urinary GH in the diagnosis of growth hormone insufficiency in slowly-growing short-statured boys. Grupo Español de Estudio de la Talla Baja].

Background: The usefulness of IGF-I, IGFBP-3, and the urinary GH excretion in the diagnostic evaluation of growth retardation in boys with short stature was studied.

Subjects And Method: Serum samples from two GH-stimulation tests and two 24-h urine samples were sent to a Central Laboratory to measure serum and urinary GH, serum IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and GHBP, both in absolute and standardized values (Z-score). Short children were classified as growth hormone deficient (GHD) (n = 25), and idiopathic short statured (ISS) (n = 54), on the basis of the peak stimulated GH concentration of < 7.

Oral administration of losartan influences aminopeptidase activity in the frontal cortex.

Although there is a brain renin-angiotensin system, its mechanisms of control are not fully understood. We studied the effect of oral administration of the AT(1) receptor antagonist losartan on brain aminopeptidase (AP) activity, which plays a major role in neuropeptide metabolism. Six AP activities, related and non-related with the angiotensin (Ang) metabolism, were measured in their soluble and membrane-bound forms in the frontal cortex of control animals and rats treated with losartan, chronically administered via the drinking water.

Reduction of cell density dependent antigenic properties of intracellular Ca(2+)-regulating membranes by isoflurane in human endothelial cells.

An established cell line of human umbilical vein endothelial cells displays a pronounced shift in the distribution of intracellular Ca(2+)-regulating membranes as the cells grow towards confluence. In sparsely populated cultures a linearly oriented punctate pattern of vesicle-like structures is observed similar to the distribution found in many other eucaryotic cells. As the cell population increases, the membranes condense around the nucleus.

Sex differences and age-related changes in human serum aminopeptidase A activity.

Given that aminopeptidase A is primarily responsible for cleaving aspartic acid and converting angiotensin II to angiotensin III, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the activity of aminopeptidase A by determination of glutamate aminopeptidase activity (GluAP) and aspartate aminopeptidase activity (AspAP) (reported respectively as aminopeptidase A and angiotensinase A activities) in human serum during development and ageing, in an apparently healthy population of 139 male and 148 female subjects. To measure GluAP and AspAP we used glutamyl- and aspartyl-2-naphthylamide as substrates. Significant age-related increases were observed in GluAP activity in males and females and in AspAP activity in females.

Nocturnal hypoglycaemia in IDDM patients younger than 18 years.

The present multicentre study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of nocturnal hypoglycaemia and its determining factors in 117 diabetic children and adolescents, aged 2-18 years and diabetes duration > 1 year in Spain. Each child made 3 measurements of blood glucose (BG) at home at night (between 0000 h and 0600 h) on nine separate nights. A hypoglycaemic event occurred in 12-14% of children in any one night.

[Deficiency of prostacyclin stimulating factor in type I diabetes mellitus. Correlation with the duration of the disease].

The prostacyclin stimulating plasma factor (PSPF) was studied in 40 children affected by insulin dependent diabetes (type I), using smooth muscle cells of rat aorta as substrate. The patients were divided into three groups according to the duration of the disease; recently diagnosed patients (n = 10), patients with less than 5 years of evolution (23 cases), and patients with more than 5 years duration (n = 7). The most significant data were that all the patients with more than 5 years duration had decreased PSPF with values below I SD (p less than 0.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis in a patient with Turner's syndrome.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis rarely affects children. Its clinical manifestations are protean, but if recognized early and properly treated, the prognosis is generally good. This is the report of a 14-year-old girl with Turner's syndrome and retroperitoneal fibrosis.

Effect on growth of children with cardiac dysrhythmias treated with amiodarone.

We report the results of treatment with amiodarone in nine children with dysrhythmias resistant to conventional drugs, namely, one with ventricular tachycardia, two with atrial tachycardia, one with junctional tachycardia, three with reciprocal rhythm tachycardia, and two with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. The initial dose was 800 mg/1.73 m2, administered for two weeks, followed by half the dose for five days a week.