Experimental osteoporosis in sheep--mechanical and histological approach.

The implementation of new methods of osteoporotic therapy requires tests on animal model. The use of sheep as model has numerous advantages over other animals. The aim of this study was to describe the change in parameters in sheep with osteoporosis induced using steroids and ovariorectomy methods as opposed to the parameters in healthy sheep. The study was performed on female "merinos" breed sheep divided into the three groups: negative control (NC)--healthy animals, positive control (PC)--ovariorectomized animals and steroid control group (SC)--in which methylprednisolone was administered. This paper presents histological and ultrastructural examination with mechanical comparative tests for force/strength values as well as indentation tests of joint cartilage. The obtained results confirm the loss of bone mass associated with mineral composition content in bones, which has an influence on bone strength.

[Ambulatory treatment of gouty arthritis].

AIM: To estimate effectiveness of ambulatory treatment of gouty arthritis (GA) using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NAIA) and detect factors associated with the impairment of the functional state of kidneys during short-term therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The functional state of kidneys in 100 patients with GA was estimated from creatinine clearance (CC) calculated by the Cockroft-Gault formula on day 2 after their examination in a polyclinic and prescription of NAIA to stop the gout attack or during the first days after hospitalization. Mean duration of NAIA therapy was 10.8 ± 4. 77 days. RESULTS: 18% of the outpatients with CC < 60 ml/min were given high doses of NAIA, 47% patients received them during the entire period of treatment, 36% were prescribed combined therapy with two or more NAIA. A short course of NAIA therapy resulted in the enhancement of CC in 46% of the patients and its fall in 54%. In 1 patient CC decreased by more than 50% compared with initial level; in 12 patients the decrease exceeded 25%. The risk of CC reduction under effect of NAIA increased in case of high NAIA doses (OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.05 = 2.20, p = 0.024), combination of several NAIA (OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1:95-3.87, p = 0.02), concomitant infection and antibiotic therapy (OR = 11.51, 95% CI 8.76-15.13, p = 0.005), II-III NYHA FC chronic cardiac insufficiency (CCI) (OR =4.88, 95% CI 9.83-1681, p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: Physicians of outpatient facilities do not always take account of the functional state of kidneys when prescribing NAIA for the treatment of GA. Kidney conditions in such patients deteriorate in case of high NAIA doses or combination of two and more NAIA during the entire period of therapy, in the presence of infection requiring antibiotic therapy or CCI.

The influence of antibiotics on B-cell number, percentage, and distribution in the bursa of Fabricius of newly hatched chicks.

Antibiotics are commonly used to prevent and treat poultry microbial infections, but certain antibiotic families depress humoral immunity, such as antibody production. Poultry humoral immunity depends on the normal functioning of the bursa of Fabricius and the B lymphocytes that mature in that gland. In this study, recommended therapeutic doses of enrofloxacin, florfenicol, or ceftiofur were administered to 2-d-old chicks. On d 7 post-hatch, bursae were sampled for histological, immunohistochemical, and flow cytometric determination of Bu-1-positive (Bu-1+) cell number, percentage, and distribution. The bursa of Fabricius from all treatment and control groups had normal morphology. The administration of antibiotics significantly decreased the number of Bu-1+ cells in the bursal medulla, with a simultaneous increase of these cells in the cortex. Flow cytometry revealed a significant decrease in the percentage of bursal Bu-1+ cells from all of the studied antibiotics: enrofloxacin (93.91 ± 3.27), florfenicol (87.84 ± 7.14), and ceftiofur (89.16 ± 5.68) compared with that of the control (96.48 ± 2.60). The combination of reduced percentages of Bu-1+ cells and a decrease in these cells in the medullary region suggests lower B cell maturation.