Transcriptional regulation of the claudin-16 gene by Mg2+ availability.

Background/aims: Renal tubular Mg(2+) reabsorption is mediated predominantly by the tight junction channel protein claudin-16 which is encoded by the gene CLDN16. Hypermagnesemia decreases, whereas hypomagnesemia increases Mg(2+) reabsorption. This study examines the role of claudin-16 in the adaptive response of the kidney to Mg(2+) availability.

Physiological and catecholamine response to sympathetic stimulation in turner syndrome.

Objective: Women with Turner syndrome have increased heart rate and high blood pressure (BP), and have been described as having high tolerance for emotional stress. We hypothesized that women with Turner syndrome have reduced catecholaminergic and physiological response to sympathetic stimulation, and that changes in BP and heart rate are related to their catecholamine response to sympathetic stimulation.

Design And Patients: Ten young women with Turner syndrome, age 17-34 years were the subjects of this study.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated protein antibodies as a predictor of response to anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: . The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has changed dramatically with the introduction of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents. Unfortunately, a subset of patients have partial or no response.

Identification of cytoplasmic p53 protein in corneal epithelium of vertebrates.

The tumour suppressor gene p53 encodes a phosphoprotein involved in the control of cell growth. It's expression and function have been documented in malignancy, apoptosis and the aging processes. Recently, p53 expression has been demonstrated in normal murine tissues, including whole eye.

Fast bedside measurement of blood count and C-reactive protein in neonates with suspected late-onset sepsis.

Unlabelled: Conventional and fast complete blood count (CBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) measurements were compared in 56 neonates with suspected sepsis. Mean differences between pairs (conventional minus fast) of the corresponding CBC and CRP values were significant for the six CBC parameters tested (p<0.02), but not for CRP (p=0.

Plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with complex regional pain syndrome.

The clinical characteristics of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)--spontaneous and stimulus-evoked pain, autonomic abnormalities, motor dysfunction, and trophic changes in the affected limb--are well known. However, its pathogenesis is unclear, and the diagnosis is often delayed, in part due to lack of objective laboratory tests. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor that has recently been shown to produce pain, allodynia, edema, and muscle weakness, as well as to exert a direct excitatory effect on nociceptive afferents.

Association between elevated liver enzymes and C-reactive protein: possible hepatic contribution to systemic inflammation in the metabolic syndrome.

Objective: The objective of this study was to test whether the frequent association between liver enzyme elevations and various components of the metabolic syndrome is associated with higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

Methods And Results: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (Alk-P), and high-sensitivity CRP were measured in 1740 subjects. Adjusted geometric mean CRP was calculated for subjects with normal and elevated ALT and for subjects with normal and elevated Alk-P, adjusting for age, sex, smoking, physical activity, body mass index, fasting glucose, triglycerides, the presence of hypertension and low HDL cholesterol, and use of aspirin or hormone replacement therapy.

Diagnostic coronary angiography induces a systemic inflammatory response in patients with stable angina.

Background: Systemic markers of inflammation increase after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The rise in inflammatory markers after PCI is frequently attributed to the inflammatory stimulus associated with coronary artery injury during balloon inflation and coronary stent implantation. The aim of this study was the determine whether diagnostic coronary angiography performed in patients with stable angina triggers a systemic inflammatory response.

Effect of ilioinguinal nerve block on the catecholamine plasma levels in orchidopexy: comparison with caudal epidural block.

Background: Both caudal epidural and ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve blocks have been used to provide effective intra- and postoperative analgesia. Stress response hormone levels can be used as an objective method to assess the analgesic efficacy of the anaesthetic techniques used in infraumbilical surgery in children. In this study, we compared catecholamine blood levels in children undergoing these two different supplementary analgesic/anaesthetic techniques.

Catecholaminergic pathways, chromaffin cells, and human disease.

Recent studies demonstrate major effects of adrenal medullary and catecholaminergic pathways on a wide variety of normal physiologic and regulatory events. Alterations in these pathways, involving changes in catecholamines or in proteins and peptides costored and coreleased with catecholamines, may lead to profound changes in autonomic, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, metabolic, nociceptive, and immune function. These findings have important implications for a variety of human disease states.

Hyponatremia as a complication of cardiac catheterization: a prospective study.

Background: A decrease in plasma sodium (P(Na)) concentration is common after surgery and attributed to the secretion of antidiuretic hormone in response to such nonosmotic stimuli as pain or nausea. In this setting, acute hyponatremia may lead to seizures, coma, and permanent neurological damage. Sporadic case reports have described severe neurological symptoms caused by hyponatremia occurring within hours after cardiac catheterization.

Increased emotional distress in daughters of breast cancer patients is associated with decreased natural cytotoxic activity, elevated levels of stress hormones and decreased secretion of Th1 cytokines.

DBCP who are aware of their increased risk of developing breast cancer may suffer from high emotional distress. Chronic stress may interfere with NCA and low NCA is associated with increased cancer risk. We studied 80 DBCP and 47 age- and education-matched healthy females (controls).

p53 expression in the normal murine eye.

Purpose: The tumor-suppressor gene p53 encodes a phosphoprotein involved in the control of cell growth. Its expression and function have been documented in malignancy, apoptosis, and other abnormal cell proliferation processes. Recently, expression of p53 has been demonstrated in certain normal tissues, including whole eye.

Educating a new generation of clinical laboratory scientists.

In many countries the new generation of laboratory scientists comes from the graduates of the biological sciences. Their training in the sciences is usually of high quality, but is almost totally lacking in the clinical application of their scientific knowledge. They obtain this clinical knowledge most often by on-the-job training and experience.