The power of desktop scanning electron microscopy with elemental analysis for analyzing urinary stones.

The aim of this paper is to present a protocol for the routine morphocompositional study of kidney stones in a clinical setting, and to demonstrate that it is a simple and useful approach that can reliably determine the etiology of all types of kidney stones. Our routine study of kidney stones consists of a combination of stereoscopic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The usefulness of such a procedure is demonstrated by its application to several illustrating examples. The protocol applied here is reliable and fast, and does not require multiple infrared spectroscopic analyses for most non-homogeneous samples. It also provides the identification of components that are present in very small proportions, the characteristics of internal and external structures, and information about areas with biological structures, such as renal tubules. It should be noted that results are obtained in a relatively short time and with high reliability. The detailed morphocompositional study of a urinary calculus is essential for establishing the diagnosis and etiology and for initiating the treatment of a patient with renal lithiasis, because there is a relationship between the specific characteristics of a stone and the specific etiology of the disease. The increasing number of treatments available for patients with different types of renal calculi makes improvements in diagnosis and determination of stone etiology, such as the procedure described here, more important now than ever.

Intake of myo-inositol hexaphosphate and urinary excretion of inositol phosphates in Wistar rats: Gavage vs. oral administration with sugar.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the urinary levels of inositol phosphates (InsPs) in rats that received different salts of myo-inositol hexaphosphate (InsP6) by gavage or by oral administration. METHODS: Thirty rats received AIN-76A diet (in which InsPs are undetectable) for 15 days. Then, 12 rats received InsP6 by gavage as a Na salt or a Ca/Mg salt; after 4 days, the Na or Ca/Mg InsP6 was administered with water containing 15 g/L sucrose and urine samples were collected. The other 18 rats received oral InsP6, in which 0.5 g of sugar was combined with InsP6 as a Na salt, a Ca/Mg salt, or a Na salt with CaCO3; daily urine samples were collected. Urine levels of InsPs were determined using a nonspecific method and a specific method (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, PAGE), and different InsPs were identified by mass spectroscopy (MS). RESULTS: After 15 days of the InsP6-free diet, the non-specific method detected no urinary InsPs, and MS detected only InsP2. After administration of Na-InsP6 by gavage, the non-specific method indicated more urinary InsPs than the amount of InsP6 determined by PAGE. MS indicated the presence of urinary InsP2, InsP3, InsP4, InsP5, and InsP6 in these rats, with notable variations among animals. Use of the same treatment to administer Ca/Mg-InsP6 led to a lower overall content of urinary InsPs and a lower level of InsP6. Oral administration of InsP6 as a sugar pill led to lower urinary levels of InsPs than administration of InsP6 by gavage, and administration as a Ca/Mg pill or a Ca/Mg pill with CaCO3 led to lower levels than administration as a Na pill. CONCLUSION: Administration of InsP6 to rats leads to the excretion of a mixture of different InsPs. Rats more effectively absorb InsP6 when supplied without dietary components that interfere with its uptake, such as the Ca ion and sugar.

Hemangioma microvenular: estudio morfológico de 3 casos / Microvenular Hemangioma: Morphological Study of 3 Cases

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Evaluation of inositol phosphates in urine after topical administration of myo-inositol hexaphosphate to female Wistar rats.

AIMS: Previous studies demonstrated a remarkable increase of urinary InsP6 by topical administration. However, the methodology used for InsP6 analysis was not specific. The aim of this paper is to measure urinary inositol phosphates InsPs using more advanced methodologies and to compare the results with those obtained by the non-specific method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We fed 12 female rats with a diet without InsP6 for 16days. Then, we administered a topical InsP6 gel at high doses for 7days (50mgInsP6/day) or at low doses for 28days (20mgInsP6/day). We measured urine levels InsPs using a nonspecific method (based on the ability of InsPs to complex Al3+) and levels of InsP6 by a specific method (using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). Identification of different InsPs was performed by MS. KEY FINDINGS: At baseline, after dietary deprivation of InsP6, rats only excreted InsP2 in their urine, and there was no detectable InsP6 or other InsPs. Rats given the high dose treatment for 7days had abundant urinary InsP6, but also had other InsPs in their urine; cessation of InsP6 administration led to decreased levels of urinary InsPs. Rats given the low dose treatment for 28days had increasing levels of urinary InsPs over time. The maximum urinary InsP6 was at 21days, after which InsPs excretion decreased. SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that the skin can absorb InsP6 from a topical gel, and that InsP6 is excreted in the urine, along with other InsPs (InsP5, InsP4, InsP3, and InsP2).

Donor-acceptor interactions in tri(phosphonio)methanide dications [(Ph3P)2CP(X)Ph2]2+ (X = H, Me, CN, NCS, OH, Cl, OTf, F).

The impact of the strongly electron donating carbodiphosphorane moiety in the series of tri(phosphonio)methanide dications as triflate salts [(Ph3P)2CP(X)Ph2][OTf]2 (X = H, Me, CN, NCS, OH, Cl, OTf, F) deriving from [(Ph3P)2CPPh2][OTf] (19[OTf]) is presented. The influence of the introduced substituents X on the electronic structures of these dications is investigated by means of detailed NBO analysis, NMR spectroscopy and X-ray analysis.

Cavernomatosis cerebral múltiple: cuando la clave del diagnóstico está en la piel / Cerebral cavernous malformation: when the key to diagnosis is on the skin

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Carbodiphosphorane mediated synthesis of a triflyloxyphosphonium dication and its reactivity towards nucleophiles.

A carbodiphosphorane ((Ph3P)2C) mediated synthesis of the first triflyloxyphosphonium dication (12+) bearing two electrophilic sites is presented. Depending on the nucleophile, 12+ reacts selectively either at the sulfur atom of the triflyloxy moiety or at the directly attached phosphorus atom. In substitution reactions at the phosphorus atom the triflyloxy moiety serves as a leaving group and enables the synthesis of rare examples of pseudo-halophosphonium dications.

Approach to Management of Eyes with no Light Perception after Open Globe Injury.

Loss of light perception (LP) after open globe injury (OGI) does not necessarily mean the patient will have permanent complete visual loss. Findings that seem to be associated reliably with permanent profound vision loss after OGI include optic nerve avulsion, optic nerve transection, and profound loss of intraocular contents, which can be identified with CT/MRI imaging albeit with varying degrees of confidence. Eyes with NLP after OGI that undergo successful primary repair with intact optic nerves may be considered for additional surgery, particularly if there is: (1) recovery of LP on the first day after primary repair; (2) treatable pathology underlying NLP status (e.g., extensive choroidal hemorrhage, dense vitreous and subretinal hemorrhage); (3) NLP in the fellow eye. We counsel patients that the chance of recovering ambulatory vision under these circumstances is very low (~5%).

Estructura ultrafina de cálculos renales de oxalato cálcico monohidrato / Ultrafine structure of calcium oxalate monohydrate renal calcul

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Rapamicina tópica al 0, 2% para el tratamiento de angiofibromas faciales y máculas hipomelanóticas en la esclerosis tuberosa / Topical 0.2% Rapamycin to Treat Facial Angiofibromas and Hypomelanotic Macules in Tuberous Sclerosis

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Evidence of higher oxidative status in depression and anxiety.

We use a simple method for evaluating antioxidative status, by measuring the redox potential of urine, and correlate the findings with measures of anxiety and depression. We include 63 individuals (28 males and 35 females aged between 20 and 65 years). The validated anxiety State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire and the validated BDI (Beck Depression Inventory) questionnaire were used to evaluate anxiety and depression. Antioxidative status was determined by measuring the redox potential of urine collected in standard conditions. Correlation of the antioxidant capacity of urines evaluated using the ferric ion/specific dye method or through redox potential using the platinum electrode demonstrated the suitability of this last procedure. We found that normal anxiety state values corresponded to low urine redox potentials, whereas higher anxiety states were associated with high urinary redox potential. We also found that individuals with normal BDI values had significantly lower urine redox potentials than individuals with higher BDI values.

Substituent effects in cation-π interactions revisited: a general approach based on intrinsic properties of the arenes.

The controversial proposal that substituent effects in cation-π interactions can be attributed mainly to electrostatic effects between the ion and local dipoles has been theoretically studied by analyzing 171 aromatics interacting with Na(+). Our results stress the importance of both electrostatic and π-polarization effects to properly describe cation-π interactions.

Reacción urticariforme secundaria a terapia fotodinámica en 2 pacientes pediátricos / Urticaria-Like Reaction Secondary to Photodynamic Therapy in 2 Pediatric Patients

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