Effects of magnetic stimulation on oxidative stress and skeletal muscle regeneration induced by mepivacaine in rat.

We investigated the effect of magnetic field stimulation (MS) on oxidative damage and skeletal muscle injury prompted by mepivacaine injection in the anterior tibial muscle of Wistar rats. The effects of mepivacaine and MS on oxidative stress were evaluated by lipid peroxidation, GSH levels and catalase activity. Muscle regeneration was analyzed by haematoxylin-eosin stained, NADH-TR histochemical reaction, desmin immunostaining as well as by morphometric parameters such as fibers density and fiber area were evaluated. Our data revealed that mepivacaine induced oxidative stress, that MS prevents the harmful effects induced by mepivacaine and that it facilitates the regeneration process of skeletal muscle. In conclusion, the results show the ability of MS to modify skeletal muscle response to mepivacaine.

Is there an extrathyroidal source of calcitonin during pregnancy?

Calcitonin (CT) and ionic calcium (Ca++) were measured in paired serum samples from the umbilical artery and vein of 47 normal term babies (28 females and 19 males). In the whole group, we found higher CT levels in the vein than in the artery (P less than 0.01). Considered by sex, significant CT (P less than 0.01) and Ca++ (P less than 0.05) gradients existed only in the female group. CT and Ca++ were also measured in serum samples from a group of 26 normal babies (16 females and 10 males) at 2 days of life and in a group of 25 normal babies (12 females and 13 males) at 30 days of life. At 2 day we found a significant increase of CT (P less than 0.001) (females P less than 0.001 and males P less than 0.05), and a significant decrease of Ca++ (P less than 0.001) (females P less than 0.001 and males P less than 0.001), in umbilical artery blood levels at 30 days. Our data show more CT coming from the placenta to the foetus than vice versa, more evident in the females, suggesting an extrathyroidal source of CT, which may be the human placenta. The increase of CT at 2 days, opposing the release of calcium from bone, may contribute in part to the decrease in Ca++ levels observed at that time.