Some designs of total disc replacement devices have articulating bearing surfaces, and these devices are tested in vitro with a lubricant of diluted calf serum. It is believed that the lubricant found in total disc replacement devices in vivo is interstitial fluid that may have properties between that in Ringer's solution and diluted calf serum. To investigate the effect of lubricants, a set of...

The relationship between serum urate, menopause, and aging has not been clearly defined by scientific evidence. In the present issue of Arthritis Research and Therapy, Hak and Choi present a cross-sectional analysis to clarify the effect of menopause and hormone replacement therapy on serum urate in women within the Third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Menopause increased s...

Enrichment of cell suspension with germ cells prior to injection into recipient seminiferous tubules is of importance in spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) transplantation. Knock-out serum replacement (KSR) has been reported to enhance the proliferation of murine SSCs and human embryonic stem cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of KSR versus fetal bovine serum (FBS) ...

The emphysema associated with the inherited serum deficiency of alpha 1-antitrypsin appears to result from an imbalance between neutrophil elastase and its major inhibitor within the alveolar structures. In the present study we assessed the feasibility of reversing this biochemical defect within the lung via parenteral replacement therapy with an alpha 1-antitrypsin concentrate of normal plasma...

BACKGROUND In patients with hypoadrenalism, it is often difficult to assess the optimal dose of glucocorticoid replacement. Serial serum cortisol measurements for a cortisol day curve are sometimes used, but this has low acceptability for patients. In this study, we evaluate the reliability of saliva and capillary bloodspot cortisol as alternative methods in assessing cortisol profiles in hypoa...

A 36-years-old man on phenytoin, levetiracetam, and sodium valproate presented with acute confusion. Routine investigations including serum valproate and phenytoin concentration were normal. His serum ammonia concentration was raised. His valproate was held and 2 days later he recovered with concordant normalisation of serum ammonia concentration. Urea acid cycle disorder was ruled out, and a d...

INTRODUCTION Acute kidney injury is associated with a poor prognosis in acute liver failure but little is known of outcomes in patients undergoing transplantation for acute liver failure who require renal replacement therapy. METHODS A retrospective analysis of the United Kingdom Transplant Registry was performed (1 January 2001-31 December 2011) with patient and graft survival determined usi...

OBJECTIVES This study was done to evaluate the results and clinical relevance of an optimized lymphocyte proliferation test, MELISA, for metal-induced inflammation in patients with CFS-like symptoms. The treatment of patients consisted of the replacement of incompatible dental materials (RID) together with supportive anti-oxidant therapy. DESIGN OF THE STUDY 513 patients were tested by MELISA...

To study the effects of androgen replacement therapy on muscle mass and strength and bone turnover markers in hypogonadal men, we administered sublingual testosterone (T) cyclodextrin (SLT; 5 mg, three times daily) to 67 hypogonadal men (baseline serum T, < 8.4 nmol/L) recruited from 4 centers in the U.S.: Torrance (n = 34), Durham (n = 12), New York (n = 9), and Salem (n = 12). Subjects who ha...

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is characterized by decreased serum levels of IgG and increased susceptibility to recurrent infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the IgG subclass levels of CVID patients. METHODS Twenty-four CVID patients who had been under regular intravenous immunoglobulin replacement therapy for 96.13 +/- 54.83 months were enrolled in ...