PURPOSE Contrast agents administered in diagnostic imaging or interventional procedures of clinical radiology may cause contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). Preventive measures against CIN involve pharmaceutical pretreatments, such as N-acetylcystein (NAC) or calpain, but alternative medicines can also be helpful. This study aims to assess the prospects of a natural compound, propolis, as a pote...

Metabolic syndrome, diabetes and diabetes complications pose a growing medical challenge worldwide, accentuating the need of safe and effective strategies for their clinical management. Here we present preclinical evidence that the sorbitol derivative meglumine (N-methyl-D-glucamine) can safely protect against several features of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, as well as elicit enhancement in...

Contrast media can induce both a decrease in renal blood flow and a reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) when administered to both experimental animals and humans. In the present study we have examined the role of adenosine in mediating these effects using the isolated perfused rat kidney. Kidneys were perfused with a 6. 7%-(w/v)-albumin-based perfusate supplemented with glucose and am...

BACKGROUND Micro-CT (μCT) studies that combine simulated canals with meglucamine diatrizoate to evaluate the shaping ability of nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary instruments are lacking in the literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shaping ability of three new different nickel-titanium rotary instruments in simulated root canals using μCT. METHODS Thirty simulated root canals w...

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of castration method (banding vs. surgical) and use of analgesia on behavior and feedlot performance in cull bulls. Angus, Hereford, and Angus-crossbred bulls (n = 20; initial BW = 384 ± 59.3 kg; 336 ± 20.1 d old) were housed in feedlot pens equipped with the ability to measure individual daily feed intake. A balanced randomized block de...

BACKGROUND Renal vasoconstriction, activated by the renin-angiotensin system, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of aliskiren, a direct renin inhibitor, for the prophylaxis of experimental CIN in the rat. METHODS Thirty-two Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups of 8 rats each, namely t...

By means of computerized tomography (CT) diffuse cerebral swelling has been shown to exist in the early stages of severe acute head injury. But, to our knowledge, it has not been intensively studied in blunt head trauma. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the clinical features, pathogenesis and outcome of the patients with diffuse cerebral swelling occurring in the case of blunt head tra...

A 9-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was presented for swelling over the left neck and inappetence. There was recent history of intramuscular administration of flunixin meglumine into the left neck. On examination, there was evidence of focal myositis, anaemia, haemolysis and pigmenturia. Culture of aspirated fluid from the left side of the neck produced a heavy growth of a Clostridium species. Co...

BACKGROUND Little information is available about infantile visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Albania as regards incidence, diagnosis and management of the disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Demographic data, clinical and laboratory features and therapeutic findings were considered in children admitted to University Hospital of Tirana from 1995 to 2009, and diagnosed as having VL. The diagno...

Fructokinase from beef liver is shown to be specific for the /3-furanose anomer of D-fructose (and the LY anomer of Lsorbose) by showing that certain 2,5-anhydroalditols are substrates, while other 2,5-anhydro compounds, 2,6-anhydro-D-mannitol, and 2,6-anhydro-D-glucitol are not. Km and Ir,,, values relative to D-fructose at pH 7.5, 25”, 4 mu MgATP are 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol (1.7 mu, 1.97); 2,5...