Cola beverage consumption induces bone mineralization reduction in ovariectomized rats.

BACKGROUND: A significant association of cola beverage consumption and increased risk of bone fractures has been recently reported. The present study was carried out to examine the relationship of cola soft drink intake and bone mineral density in ovariectomized rats. METHODS: Study 1. Four groups of 10 female Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Animals from groups II, III, and IV were bilaterally ovariectomized. Animals from groups I and II received tap water for drinking, while animals from groups III and IV each drank a different commercial brand of cola soft drink. After 2 months on these diets, the following were measured: solid diet and liquid consumption; bone mineral density; calcium in bone ashes; femoral cortex width; calcium; phosphate; albumin; creatinine; alkaline phosphatase; 25-OH hydroxyvitamin D, and PTH. RESULTS: Study 2. Two groups of seven ovariectomized rats were compared. Group A animals received the same management as the group III animals from study 1 (cola soft drink and rat chow ad libitum), while rats from group B received tap water for drinking and pair-feeding. After 2 months plasmatic ionized calcium, phosphate, creatinine, albumin, calcium in femoral ashes, and femoral cortex width were measured. Study 1. Rats consuming cola beverages (groups III and IV) had a threefold higher liquid intake than rats consuming water (groups I and II). Daily solid food intake of rats consuming cola soft drinks was one-half that of rats consuming water. Rats consuming soft drinks developed hypocalcemia and their femoral mineral density measured by DEXA was significantly lower than control animals as follows: group I, 0.20 +/- 0.02; group II, 0.18 +/- 0.01; group III, 0.16 +/- 0.01, and group IV, 0.16 +/- 0.01 g/cm(2). Study 2. To rule out the possibility that these calcium and bone mineral disorders were caused by decreased solid food intake, a pair-fed group was studied. Despite a lower body weight, pair-fed animals consuming tap water did not develop bone mineral reduction or hypocalcemia. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that heavy intake of cola soft drinks has the potential of reducing femoral mineral density.

[Nephronophthisis: study of 10 cases. Incidence, natural history and associated pathology (author's transl)]. / Nefronoptisis: análisis de 10 casos. Incidencia, historia natural y patología asociada.

Nephronophthisis is a chronic interstitial nephropathy which in childhood may lead to terminal renal failure. Between January 1975 and July 1980, 41 children with terminal renal failure were seen in our service, of which 10 (21.9%) presented with nephronophthisis. Age of the patients ranged from 3.5-18 years, boys were in the majority (8/2). Three cases were isolated and 7 were familial (3 families). Onset was during the first year of life in 8 patients, and polydipsia-polyuria were the first symptoms. Retarded growth and anemia proportionate to the degree of renal failure were present in all patients. When diagnosed, 5 patients (50%) presented terminal renal failure, and the other 5 had renal failure of different degrees. Moderate proteinuria was found in 4 patients, without changes in urine sediment. Sodium depletion in urine was high in 5 cases and maximal urine osmolarity was less than 500 muOsm/l after hydropenia in all cases. Four had associated mental deficiency with cerebellar ataxia associated in two and congenital hepatic fibrosis (confirmed histologically) in one. The diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy in 8 and in two of these on frozen section during nephrectomy prior to kidney transplantation. At present, five of the patients are in maintenance hemodialysis, two died at home due to cardiovascular complications in terminal renal insufficiency and the remaining ones presented different degrees of renal insufficiency. Time elapsed between onset of the symptoms and inclusion in hemodialysis or death ranges form 6 months to 13 years (mean 6.7 years).

[Carotid-basilar artery communication in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)]. / Comunicación arterial carotidobasilar en gerbos (Meriones unguiculatus).

INTRODUCTION: Since 1966 when Levine and Payan observed that the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) was unusually susceptible to cerebral infarction following occlusion of one or both common carotid arteries, the model has been used for the experimental study of cerebral ischemia. OBJECTIVE: To assess the presence of anterior-posterior arterial communication in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 26 animals were used and divided in the following groups: 1. Bilateral carotid ligation (n = 10); 2. Unilateral left carotid ligation (n = 5); 3. Unilateral carotid right carotid ligation (n = 5); and 4. Control group without carotid ligation (n = 6). RESULTS: Postmortem intra-aortic dye injection demonstrated communication between anterior and posterior cerebral arteries in 30% of gerbils that previously were subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. A number of vessels, between 8.95-11.35 microns in diameter, were linking the basilar artery with the posterior cerebral artery. In the remaining animals, the absence of communication was confirmed. CONCLUSION: Communicating carotid-basilar in lower number of cases and anastomosis the smallest diameter to give the gerbil advantage on others species as model of experimental regional ischemia.

[Renal adenocarcinoma in children. Report of a case]. / Adenocarcinoma renal en el niño. A proposito de un caso.

Description of the accidental finding of a renal adenocarcinoma in a 10-year old boy, after abdominal trauma and with a good evolutive behaviour. The clinical, diagnostic, therapeutical and survival aspects are analyzed, including a literature update of a renal neoformation which shows lower paediatric incidence than Wilm's Tumour or Neuroblastoma.

[Membranous nephritis after renal transplantation]. / Nefropatía membranosa después del trasplante renal.

8 cases of membranous glomerulonephritis (MG) after renal transplants (RT) are presented; one being a recurrence of the original disease and the other 7 due to a different cause of renal insufficiency. The total incidence of MG after transplantation was 1.63%; 1.39% being the incidence of MG of new cases. Only 1 patient showed decrease of renal function and in this case the MG was accompanied by chronic rejection lesions. There was no sign of neoplasias nor drugs producing MG. As far as chronic infections are concerned, only one patient showed B antigen and it was not observed during the immunofluorescent test in the biopsy. 6 patients had urological complications after the renal transplant (3 cases of urinary fistula; 2 cases of obstructive uropathy; 1 case of short ureter). 2 patients experienced the start of hemodialysis due to focal and segmentary glomerulosclerosis. The beginning of proteinuria commences between 2 and 23 months after the RT (median 13,0 +/- 7,5 moths); with a range of between 2.0 and 12.0 gr/day (median: 6.8 +/- 3,2 Z gr/day), this being nephrotic in 4 cases. Proteinuria improved 1 case, and persisted in the other patients at the same level registered previous to the diagnosis. MG is a non-frequent complication or RT and is usually benign. Patients with post-transplant urologic complications could be considered to have a higher risk of developing a MG "de novo".

[Necrosis of the tongue secondary to Horton's disease]. / Necrosis lingual secundaria a la enfermedad de Horton.

Horton's disease is a generalized vascular disease characterized by giant cell arteritis. Medium and small-sized arteries are the most affected and involvement of the lingual arteries leading to lingual infarction and partial necrosis of the tongue is exceptional. We describe these complications in a 82-year-old female with histologically proved Horton's disease, and review the literature on the topic.

Microvascular stent.

Report of experimental results obtained with a new microvascular repair technique performed in the superficial femoral artery of the rat. An external device "microvascular stent" is used, made up medical use adhesive silicon so as to widen the internal vascular diameter and prevent stenosis. This technique is compare to the simple interrupted suture microsurgical repair.

[The presence of a red arch in the nail bed of a reimplanted hand and its prognostic value]. / Significado pronóstico del arco rojo en el lecho ungueal de las manos reimplantadas.

This is preliminary report describing a new clinical sign observed by the author in three cases of severed hands, and in several cases, following re-implantation within eight-hours after the accident. This sign has a useful prognostic value, based on its uniform and constant characteristics, in the evolution of re-implanted hands after severe trauma.

[Bacillus thuringiensis: biological characteristics and production perspectives]. / Bacillus thuringiensis: características biológicas y perspectivas de producción.

In this paper the potential activity of Bacillus thuringiensis as insecticide is reviewed. It is presented recent knowledges of its metabolism, production system and the rinetic constants already reported finally the possibilities for production in batches or continuous culture is discussed in order to improve the productivity and economical aspects.

Relapsing steroid-responsive idiopathic acute interstitial nephritis.

A 49-year-old woman developed acute renal failure secondary to interstitial nephritis. Her clinical history, complementary studies and two renal biopsies could not establish the etiology. She showed signs of incomplete Fanconi syndrome. Treatment with corticosteroids was very effective, though she tended to relapse. We comment briefly on some aspects of idiopathic acute interstitial nephritis.