Effect of propofol and sevoflurane on the inflammatory response of patients undergoing craniotomy.

Background: The purpose of this randomised, single-centre study was to prospectively investigate the impact of anaesthetic techniques for craniotomy on the release of cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and to determine whether intravenous anaesthesia compared to inhalational anaesthesia attenuates the inflammatory response.

Methods: The study enroled 40 patients undergoing craniotomy, allocated into two equal groups to receive either sevoflurane (n = 20) or propofol (n = 20) in conjunction with remifentanil and rocuronium. The lungs were ventilated mechanically to maintain normocapnia.

Electrochemical and Electrophysiological Performance of Platinum Electrodes Within the Ninety-Nine-Electrode Stimulating Nerve Cuff.

The trend in neural prostheses using selective nerve stimulation for electrical stimulation therapies is headed toward single-part systems having a large number of working electrodes (WEs), each of which selectively stimulate neural tissue or record neural response (NR). The present article reviews the electrochemical and electrophysiological performance of platinum WE within a ninety-nine-electrode spiral cuff for selective nerve stimulation and recording of peripheral nerves, with a focus on the vagus nerve (VN). The electrochemical properties of the WE were studied in vitro using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique.

Darbepoetin alpha reduces oxidative stress and chronic inflammation in atherosclerotic lesions of apo E deficient mice in experimental renal failure.

Background: Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is very important in patients with chronic renal failure. This occurs even in mild impairment of renal function and may be related to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. The nephrectomized apo E knockout mouse is an accepted model for evaluating atherosclerosis in renal dysfunction.

Cardiovascular and renal effects of high salt diet in GDNF+/- mice with low nephron number.

Aims: To test the suggested association of low nephron number and later development of renal and cardiovascular disease we investigated the effects of high sodium diet in heterozygous GDNF+/- mice.

Methods: Aged wild type and GDNF+/- mice were grouped together according to high sodium (HS, 4%) or low sodium (LS, 0.03%) diet for 4 weeks.

Early glomerular alterations in genetically determined low nephron number.

An association between low nephron number and subsequent development of hypertension in later life has been demonstrated. The underlying pathomechanisms are unknown, but glomerular and postglomerular changes have been discussed. We investigated whether such changes are already present in prehypertensive "glial cell line-derived neurotrophic growth factor" heterozygous mice (GDNF+/-) with lower nephron number.

Angiopoietin 1 and 2 gene and protein expression is differentially regulated in acute anti-Thy1.1 glomerulonephritis.

Capillary neoformation is important in repair of glomerular injury of various origins. VEGF was shown to be crucial for glomerular capillary repair in glomerulonephritis (GN). We reasoned that other angiogenic factors are likewise involved in glomerular capillary remodeling and found angiopoietin 1 and -2 (ANG1 and ANG2) mRNA to be upregulated in cDNA microarrays of microdissected glomeruli of anti-Thy1.

Surgical treatment of unilaterally undescended testes: testicular growth after randomization to orchiopexy at age 9 months or 3 years.

Purpose: We compared the growth of congenital, unilaterally undescended testes following orchiopexy at age 9 months or 3 years.

Materials And Methods: Patients were randomized to surgery at age 9 months (72) or 3 years (83). Testicular volume was measured by ultrasonography at ages 6, 12, 24, 39 and 48 months.

Testicular growth from birth to two years of age, and the effect of orchidopexy at age nine months: a randomized, controlled study.

Aim: To study whether surgical treatment at age 9 mo in boys with congenital unilaterally palpable undescended testes (cryptorchidism) is followed by improved growth of the previously retained testes compared to non-treatment.

Methods: At the age of 6 mo, 70 boys were randomized to surgical treatment at 9 mo and 79 boys to treatment at 3 y of age. The boys were then followed at 12 and 24 mo.

Transanastomotic feeding tube after an operation for duodenal atresia.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to answer the question whether or not, after an operation for duodenal atresia, a transanastomotic feeding tube reduces the time to full preanastomotic feeding. The method used was a retrospective study and a prospective observation. 18 consecutive newborns with duodenal atresia, nine from each of two different centres of paediatric surgery, were studied retrospectively.

Proctocolitis in exclusively breast-fed infants.

Unlabelled: We present nine exclusively breast-fed, full-term infants with mild rectal bleeding due to proctocolitis. The mean age at the onset of symptoms was 5 weeks (range 1-8 weeks). Rectosigmoidoscopic examination was performed in all the children within 2 days after admission, showing inflammatory changes such as oedematous mucosa with petechial haemorrhages.

Plasma-cell gingivitis in children and adults. A clinical and histological description.

Plasma-cell gingivitis (PCG) is a rare, non-symptomatic lesion found in the attached gingiva. In the county of Södermanland 14 cases of PCG were identified during the last 13 years. Clinically, the PCG is a sharply demarcated red area within the attached gingiva.

Expression of beta 1- and beta 2-receptor genes and correlation to lipolysis in human adipose tissue during childhood.

beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor (bar1 and bar2) mRNA levels were measured in adipose tissue obtained from children (between 1 month and 10 yr of age) and adults during inguinal hernia operations. Bar1 mRNA levels were constant in all age groups studied. In infants and children less than 7 yr old, bar2 levels were twice as high (P < 0.

Gray-scale sonography in torsion of the testicular appendages.

The reliability of gray-scale ultrasonography in diagnosing torsion of the testicular appendages was studied in a series of 54 boys with acute non-traumatic scrotal pain. All boys were operated upon, and the appendages extirpated irrespective of their appearance at exploration; the final diagnosis was based on histological examination. Forty-two boys had appendicular torsion, 2 had testicular torsion and 10 had other diagnoses.

Inhibition of lipolysis by agents acting via adenylate cyclase in fat cells from infants and adults.

The in vitro lipolytic effect of catecholamines is poor during infancy because of enhanced alpha 2-adrenoceptor activity. The mechanisms behind this were investigated in isolated fat cells obtained from 1- to 4-mo-old infants and from adults. The cells were incubated with agents that inhibit lipolysis through distinct receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase via the inhibitory GTP binding coupling protein, Gi.

Changes in catecholamine-induced lipolysis in isolated human fat cells during the first year of life.

Catecholamine-induced lipolysis in isolated human adipocytes during the first year of life was investigated. During this period fat cell size increased markedly. Basal and catecholamine-induced glycerol release were positively correlated with age when lipolysis was expressed per cell.

Role of alpha-adrenoceptors for adipocyte size in man.

Catecholamines have dual effects on lipid mobilization in man. Lipolysis is stimulated via beta-adrenoceptors and inhibited via alpha 2-adrenoceptors. The relationship between fat-cell size and catecholamine-induced lipolysis (expressed per cell surface area) was investigated in vitro in subcutaneous adipocytes of thirty-five non-obese subjects between 1 month and 45 years of age.

Regulation of interstitial cell function by seminiferous tubules in intact and cryptorchid rats.

The effects of experimental cryptorchidism on seminiferous tubule secretions and interstitial cell testosterone production were studied in vitro. Spent media obtained from incubations of seminiferous tubules (SMST) from cryptorchid rats caused a significant increase in testosterone production when added to interstitial cells isolated from intact rats. The previously noticed inhibitory activity of the SMST from stages VIII-XI of the spermatogenic epithelial cycle gradually disappeared after the induction of experimental cryptorchidism.

Changes in germ cell adenylate cyclase and protein carboxyl methylase activities in rat testicular tissue during bilateral cryptorchidism and after orchidopexy.

Soluble Mn2+-dependent adenylate cyclase and protein carboxyl methylase are two enzymes that are primarily localized in haploid germ cels of rat testicular tissue, and both enzymes exhibit an increase in activity in association with sexual maturation. Experimental cryptorchidism (surgery at 17 days of age) in immature rats prevented the age-dependent increase in the activity of these two testicular enzymes. After orchidopexy at 34 days of age the activities of these two enzymes increased to normal control values in association with testicular growth.

Maturation of the juvenile rat testis after surgical treatment of cryptorchidism.

Rats were made bilaterally cryptorchid at 17 days of age and bilateral orchidopexy performed at 34 days of age. The epididymal content of androgen binding protein (ABP), the weight and morphology of the testis, the cross-sectional area of seminiferous tubules and the testicular concentration of testosterone were then studied at 34, 42, 59 and 120 days of age. Cryptorchidism was followed rapidly by progressive inhibition of spermatogenesis and testicular growth as well as by decreased Sertoli cell secretion of ABP.

Changes in isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in rat testicular tissue during cryptorchidism and after orchidopexy.

Cryptorchidism was associated with increased responsiveness of the isoproterenol-sensitive adenylate cyclase in membrane particles from rat testis. Abdominal testes from uni- and bilaterally cryptorchid rats showed the same activities. The change in isoproterenol-responsive adenylate cyclase was independent of the age at which the animals were made cryptorchid.

LHRH treatment in unilateral cryptorchidism: effect on testicular descent and hormonal response.

Fifty unilaterally cryptorchid boys aged 3 to 8 years were randomly and blindly allocated to treatment with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone or placebo intranasally. In the treated group, no significant descent of the undescended testis was found, whereas a minor downward movement of the scrotal testis occurred (P less than 0.001), probably as a result of decreased retraction by the cremaster muscle.

Testosterone concentration within the tunica vaginalis of boys and adult men.

The testosterone level in fluid contained in the tunica vaginalis has been determined in 25 adult men referred for infertility and in 20 boys aged 0-10.5 years operated on for hydrocele. The median concentrations of testosterone were found to be 392 nmole/1 (range 78-957) and 1.

Studies on the scrotal testis in unilateral experimental cryptorchidism in rat and guinea pig.

The effects of experimental unilateral cryptorchidism on the scrotal testis regarding weight, morphology and secretion of tubular fluid and the sertoli-cell specific androgen binding protein (ABP) were studied. In the intact guinea pig testis and epididymis an androgen binding component similar to rat ABP was found. In juvenile and adult rats cryptorchid for 17 and 21 days, respectively, and in guinea pigs cryptorchid for 11 weeks, the scrotal testis seemed unaffected regarding all parameters studied.

Recovery of testicular functions after surgical treatment of experimental cryptorchidism in the rat.

When rats were made unilaterally cryptorchid at 17 days of age (before spontaneous descensus), the further maturation of the testis was prevented. At 34 days of age, the abdominal testis was smaller than the scrotal testis and showed less secretion of the Sertoli cell specific androgen binding protein (ABP). In 120-130 days old rats that were made bilaterally cryptorchid at 17 days of age, testicular weight, histology, secretion of fluid and ABP were restored and testosterone secretion and fertility were normal if orchidopexy was performed at 33 days of age.