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Biochemical Abnormalities (biochemical + abnormality)
Selected AbstractsClinical and biochemical abnormalities in endurance horses eliminated from competition for medical complications and requiring emergency medical treatment: 30 cases (2005,2006)JOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE, Issue 5 2009C. Langdon Fielding DVM, DACVECC Abstract Objective , To describe the clinical and clinicopathologic abnormalities in endurance horses eliminated from competition and requiring emergency medical treatment. Design , Retrospective study over a 2-year period (2005,2006). Ten horses that successfully completed the ride in 2006 were included for comparison. Setting , Temporary equine emergency field hospital. Animals , All horses (n=30) that were removed from endurance competition and treated for a metabolic abnormality were studied. Interventions , Horses were treated with IV fluids and analgesics. Monitoring included lab work (PCV, total protein, and electrolytes) and serial physical examinations. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and parametric and nonparametric comparisons (ANOVA, Friedman's test, and Kruskal-Wallis) where appropriate. Measurements and Main Results , The clinical diagnoses identified included colic, esophageal obstruction, poor cardiovascular recovery, myopathy, and synchronous diaphragmatic flutter. As a group, these sick horses had lower plasma chloride and potassium and higher total plasma protein concentrations as compared with 10 healthy horses that successfully completed the ride (P<0.05, <0.01, and <0.05 for chloride, potassium, and total protein, respectively). Horses with colic had a lower PCV as compared with horses with poor recovery and those with synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (P<0.05). All horses, including colics, were treated medically and discharged to owners. Conclusions , Based on the results of this study, the prognosis for horses requiring emergency veterinary treatment after being removed from endurance competition (for metabolic reasons) appears to be good if horses are withdrawn from competition under the same criteria outlined in this study. Biochemical abnormalities tend to be mild and do not necessarily aid in delineating sick horses from successfully completing horses. None of the horses with gastrointestinal disease required abdominal surgery. [source] Glucose-induced release of tumour necrosis factor-alpha from human placental and adipose tissues in gestational diabetes mellitusDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 11 2001M. T. Coughlan Abstract Aims, The cytokine tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-,) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes mellitus, but limited data are available in relation to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a disease in which similar biochemical abnormalities exist. We investigated the effect of exogenous glucose on the release of TNF-, from placental and adipose (omental and subcutaneous) tissue obtained from normal pregnant women, and women with GDM. Methods, Human tissue explants were incubated for up to 24 h and TNF-, concentration in the incubation medium quantified by ELISA. The effect of normal (5 mmol/l) and high (15 and 25 mmol/l) glucose concentrations on the release of TNF-, was assessed. Results, In placental and subcutaneous adipose tissues obtained from women with GDM (n = 6), TNF-, release was significantly greater under conditions of high glucose compared with normal glucose (placenta, 25 mmol/l 5915.7 ± 2579.6 and 15 mmol/l 4547.1 ± 2039.1 vs. 5 mmol/l 1897.1 ± 545.5; subcutaneous adipose tissue, 25 mmol/l 423.5 ± 207.0 and 15 mmol/l 278.5 ± 138.7 vs. 5 mmol/l 65.3 ± 28.5 pg/mg protein; P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no stimulatory effect of high glucose on TNF-, release by tissues obtained from normal pregnant women (n = 6) (placenta, 25 mmol/l 1542.1 ± 486.2 and 15 mmol/l 4263.3 ± 2737.7 vs. 5 mmol/l 5422.4 ± 1599.0; subcutaneous adipose tissue, 25 mmol/l 189.8 ± 120.4 and 15 mmol/l 124.5 ± 32.3 vs. 5 mmol/l 217.9 ± 103.5 pg/mg protein). Conclusions, These observations suggest that tissues from patients with GDM release greater amounts of TNF-, in response to high glucose. As TNF-, has been previously implicated in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, and of insulin resistance, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that TNF-, may be involved in the pathogenesis and/or progression of GDM. Diabet. Med. 18, 921,927 (2001) [source] The neural networks of musicEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 5 2002E. Baeck Recent neuropsychological, transcranial Doppler sonographic, positron emission tomographic and functional nuclear magnetic resonance studies have indicated that musical perception is not dependent on the right hemisphere but on neural networks corresponding to the fundamental components of music in both hemispheres. In the brain there is no centre for music. Musicians have cerebral characteristics, anatomical as well as functional, which are correlated with the age at which they began their musical studies. This argues for cortical reorganization as a result of musical training. Whether these characteristics are to be ascribed to cortical plasticity alone, or to an innate structural property, or to both, remains an open question, however. Investigation of chromosomal defects, biochemical abnormalities and morphological features of congenital and degenerative brain diseases can provide further insight into the cerebral substrate of musicality. [source] Atopic xerosis: employment of noninvasive biophysical instrumentation for the functional analyses of the mildly abnormal stratum corneum and for the efficacy assessment of skin care productsJOURNAL OF COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Hachiro Tagami MD Summary The subtle dryness of the skin surrounding the lesions of atopic dermatitis (AD) is called atopic dry skin or atopic xerosis (AX). AX is more susceptible to the development of AD skin lesions under various environmental stimuli than the clinically normal skin of the people who have or have had or will have AD, which might be called normal atopic skin (NAS) that shows no functional differences as compared to the skin of normal individuals. Routine histopathologic studies of AX that involve the invasive procedures of biopsy are not so helpful in clarifying the underlying pathogenesis. Modern, noninvasive biophysical instrumentation provides rich and quantitative information about various functional aspects of skin. The stratum corneum (SC) of AX reveals not only decreased hydration but also mildly impaired barrier function demonstrable as an increase in transepidermal water loss, elevated pH values, and an increased turnover rate of the SC consisting of thick layers of smaller-sized corneocytes. These data suggest that AX is related to mildly increased epidermal proliferation as a result of the presence of subclinical cutaneous inflammation. Although AX skin does not display any impairment in the recovery of barrier function after physical skin irritation by tape-stripping, it produces a much more severe, long-lasting inflammatory response together with a delay in barrier repair after chemical irritation such as that induced by sodium lauryl sulphate. The SC of AX is biochemically characterized by reduction in the amounts of ceramides, especially ceramide I, sebum lipids, and water-soluble amino acids. None of these changes in SC functions are seen in NAS, which includes not only the normal-looking skin of AD patients long after regression of all active lesions but also of latent atopic skin such as neonates who later develop AD. This suggests that all of the observed functional as well as biochemical abnormalities of AX are a reflection of subclinical inflammation. The presence of the underlying inflammation in AX also differentiates it from senile xerosis. The mildly impaired SC functions of AX can be improved by daily repeated applications of effective moisturizers, i.e., corneotherapy, which is effective in preventing the exacerbating progression of AX to AD resulting from inadvertent scratching of the skin that facilitates the penetration of environmental allergens into the skin. The biophysical confirmation of such efficacy of moisturizers, including cosmetic bases on the mildly impaired barrier function and decreased water-holding capacity of the SC of AX, definitely substantiates the importance of skin care for the cosmetic skin problems that affect every individual in the cold and dry season ranging from late autumn to early spring. [source] Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Dakar, SénégalJOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 3 2006Muriel Vray Abstract Using DNA chip technology and real-time quantitative PCR, molecular profile of HBV strains infecting blood donors and patients in Dakar, Sénégal was studied. All HBsAg-positive blood donors (n,=,175) and all patients who presented with chronic hepatitis B (n,=,29) between 1st June 2003 and 31st July 2003 were studied. One patient, a blood donor, was coinfected by HCV, and nine patients had anti-HDV antibodies. Few persons in either group were HBeAg-positive. Viral load values were relatively low but correlated with biochemical abnormalities. Patients were infected mainly by genotype E (72%). Patients infected by genotype A (28%) tended to be younger than other patients. There was no significant difference between the blood donors and the patients with hepatitis B as regards virological markers, including viral load, when the HBV genotype was taken into account. The BCP A1762T and G1764A mutations were found in four patients and one patient, respectively; the two mutations were never found in the same patient. The W28* mutation at position 1896 of the core was detected in 19 of the 32 genotyped patients, 18 (83%) of whom had genotype E infection. ALT levels were not influenced by HBV mutations. This study shows a low frequency of clinical signs in HBsAg-positive blood donors, a relatively low level of viral replication, and a high frequency of pre-core mutants in this West African population. These results underline the importance of molecular characterization of HBV infection as specific treatments become available in this region. J. Med. Virol. 78:329,334, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Haematological and biochemical abnormalities in canine blood: frequency and associations in 1022 samplesJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 7 2004S. Comazzi Submission of blood samples to referral laboratories is very common in veterinary practice. Internal reference ranges should take into account published ranges adapted to the methods and apparatus used and to the population under consideration. The aim of this study was to examine the results from 1022 consecutive canine blood tests, analysing the frequency and the main associations of abnormalities, and to compare the results in different age groups. Haemograms and serum biochemistry were compared with internal ranges and between age groups: younger than one year, one to eight years and older than eight years. Young dogs exhibited lower numbers of erythrocytes and lower values for haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume. They also showed higher numbers of lymphocytes and higher concentrations of phosphorus and 71 per cent showed raised alkaline phosphatase. Neutrophilia, hypergammaglobulinaemia and hypoalbuminaemia occurred quite frequently in all dogs, and hypoalbuminaemia and hyperphosphataemia were commonly seen in uraemic patients. The simultaneous evaluation of cytolytic and hepatobiliary enzymes allowed better detection of liver damage, since only a very low percentage of dogs had simultaneous increases in all hepatic enzymes. [source] Clinical and biochemical abnormalities in endurance horses eliminated from competition for medical complications and requiring emergency medical treatment: 30 cases (2005,2006)JOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE, Issue 5 2009C. Langdon Fielding DVM, DACVECC Abstract Objective , To describe the clinical and clinicopathologic abnormalities in endurance horses eliminated from competition and requiring emergency medical treatment. Design , Retrospective study over a 2-year period (2005,2006). Ten horses that successfully completed the ride in 2006 were included for comparison. Setting , Temporary equine emergency field hospital. Animals , All horses (n=30) that were removed from endurance competition and treated for a metabolic abnormality were studied. Interventions , Horses were treated with IV fluids and analgesics. Monitoring included lab work (PCV, total protein, and electrolytes) and serial physical examinations. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and parametric and nonparametric comparisons (ANOVA, Friedman's test, and Kruskal-Wallis) where appropriate. Measurements and Main Results , The clinical diagnoses identified included colic, esophageal obstruction, poor cardiovascular recovery, myopathy, and synchronous diaphragmatic flutter. As a group, these sick horses had lower plasma chloride and potassium and higher total plasma protein concentrations as compared with 10 healthy horses that successfully completed the ride (P<0.05, <0.01, and <0.05 for chloride, potassium, and total protein, respectively). Horses with colic had a lower PCV as compared with horses with poor recovery and those with synchronous diaphragmatic flutter (P<0.05). All horses, including colics, were treated medically and discharged to owners. Conclusions , Based on the results of this study, the prognosis for horses requiring emergency veterinary treatment after being removed from endurance competition (for metabolic reasons) appears to be good if horses are withdrawn from competition under the same criteria outlined in this study. Biochemical abnormalities tend to be mild and do not necessarily aid in delineating sick horses from successfully completing horses. None of the horses with gastrointestinal disease required abdominal surgery. [source] Tissue culture methods to study neurological disorders: Establishment of immortalized Schwann cells from murine disease modelsNEUROPATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Kazuhiko Watabe Previously, the authors have established spontaneously immortalized cell lines from long-term cultures of normal adult mouse Schwann cells. Establishment of such Schwann cell lines derived from murine disease models may greatly facilitate studies of the cellular mechanisms of their peripheral nervous system lesions in the relevant diseases. Recently, the authors have established immortalized Schwann cell lines derived from Niemann,Pick disease type C mice (NPC; spm/spm) and globoid cell leukodystrophy mice (twitcher). In the present study, long-term cultures were maintained of Schwann cells derived from dorsal root ganglia and consecutive peripheral nerves of another NPC mouse (npcnih/npcnih, npcnih/+), myelin P0 protein-deficient mice (P0,/,, P0+/,) with their wild-type littermates (P0+/+), and neurofibromatosis type 1 gene (NF1)-deficient mice (Nf1Fcr/+) for 8,10 months, and immortalized cell lines from all these animals established spontaneously. These cell lines had spindle-shaped Schwann cell morphology and distinct Schwann cell phenotypes and retained genomic and biochemical abnormalities, sufficiently representing the in vivo pathological features of the mutant mice. These immortalized Schwann cell lines can be useful in studies of nervous system lesions in these mutant mice and relevant human disorders. [source] Haematological and biochemical findings in cats in Australia with lymphosarcomaAUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 7 2000LJ GABOR Objective To describe, for the first time, haematological and serum biochemical findings in cases of lymphosarcoma in Australian cats. Design A prospective multi-institutional study. Procedure Of 118 affected cats presented to the authors over a 18-month period, 97 were evaluated haematologically and 87 biochemically. Haematological analysis usually included determination of packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell and leukocyte counts, differential leukcocyte count, reticulocyte count and examination of buffy-coat smears for neoplastic cells. Serum biochemical analysis was done primarily with a discrete analyser and included a panel of commonly used analytes. Results Nonregenerative anaemia was present in 54% (52/97) of cats. Neutrophilia, present in 65% (59/91) of cats, was commonly associated with lymphocytopaenia, eosinopaenia and monocytosis. Of the 13 cats with a secondary leukaemic manifestation, only five had distinct lymphocytosis. Serum biochemical abnormalities either were nonspecific, such as hypoglycaemia in 37% (32/87) of cats, or related to specific tissue involvement, such as hypoalbuminaemia in 76% (31/41) of cats with alimentary involvement and azotaemia in 60% (15/25) of cats with renal involvement. Conclusion It was shown for the first time that haematological and serum biochemical findings are of limited value in diagnosing lymphosarcoma in Australian cats, except if they are leukaemic. Although clinical pathological changes were common, they were nonspecific or related to specific tissue involvement. Their value in assessing response to therapy needs to be examined further. Patient characteristics such as age, breed and sex also had limited effect on laboratory findings and those observed were of little consequence. Additionally, histological and immunophenotypical variations in tumour type had little effect on laboratory findings. [source] Evaluation of an inflammation-based prognostic score in patients with metastatic renal cancerCANCER, Issue 2 2007Sara Ramsey MD Abstract BACKGROUND. Recently, it was shown that an inflammation-based prognostic score, the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), provides additional prognostic information in patients with advanced cancer. The objective of the current study was to examine the value of the GPS compared with established scoring systems in predicting cancer-specific survival in patients with metastatic renal cancer. METHODS. One hundred nineteen patients who underwent immunotherapy for metastatic renal cancer were recruited. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) score and the Metastatic Renal Carcinoma Comprehensive Prognostic System (MRCCPS) score were calculated as described previously. Patients who had both an elevated C-reactive protein level (>10 mg/L) and hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/L) were allocated a GPS of 2. Patients who had only 1 of those 2 biochemical abnormalities were allocated a GPS of 1. Patients who had neither abnormality were allocated a GPS of 0. RESULTS. On multivariate analysis of significant individual factors, only calcium (hazard ratio [HR], 3.21; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.51,6.83; P = .002), white cell count (HR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.17,2.35; P = .004), albumin (HR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.38,5.03; P = .003), and C-reactive protein (HR, 2.85; 95% CI; 1.49,5.45; P = .002) were associated independently with cancer-specific survival. On multivariate analysis of the different scoring systems, the MSKCC (HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.22,2.88; P = .004), the MRCCPS (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.97,2.09; P = .071), and the GPS (HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.51,3.67; P < .001) were associated independently with cancer-specific survival. CONCLUSIONS. An inflammation-based prognostic score (GPS) predicted survival independent of established scoring systems in patients with metastatic renal cancer. Cancer 2007. © 2006 American Cancer Society. [source] Carbamazepine-Related Hyponatremia Following Cardiopulmonary BypassJOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 2 2003Theodore Velissaris A.F.R.C.S. Following an initially uncomplicated recovery, he developed symptomatic hyponatremia. The symptoms and biochemical abnormality improved after gradual discontinuation of carbamazepine. We discuss the association between carbamazepine and hyponatremia and the causes of hyponatremia after cardiopulmonary bypass. Surgeons should consider stopping carbamazepine before operations with cardiopulmonary bypass. (J Card Surg 2003;18:155-157) [source] | ||||||||||