Quinidine prevents paraoxon-induced necrotizing myopathy in rats

OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical signs and response to surgical treatment in Dalmatians with urate urolithiasis. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 38 Dalmatians. PROCEDURE: Medical records from 1980 to 1995 of Dalmatians with urate urolithiasis were reviewed to obtain information on history, results of physical examination, hemogram, biochemical analysis, urinalysis, bacterial culture of urine, diagnostic imaging, analysis of calculi, treatment, and recurrence. RESULTS: 35 (92%) dogs were males. Mean age at admission was 4.9 years. Common clinical findings and initial complaints included dribbling of urine, stranguria, vomiting, tense abdomen with signs of pain, and a large bladder. Hematuria was found in 85% of dogs in which urinalysis was performed. Crystalluria was found in 54% of dogs. Bacteria were isolated from urine from 36% of dogs. Contrast radiography and abdominal ultrasonography were the most sensitive diagnostic tests for uroliths. Dogs that underwent scrotal urethrostomy and cystotomy had the fewest number of recurrent clinical signs that were attributable to urinary calculi. Clinical recurrence rate in dogs on a protein-restricted diet was 27%, compared with that (36%) for dogs on a commercial diet. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Urate urolithiasis is more commonly recognized in male Dalmatians compared with females. Contrast radiography and ultrasonography appear to be the most useful techniques for detecting urate uroliths. Scrotal urethrostomy and cystotomy was the most effective surgical treatment for preventing recurrence of clinical signs associated with calculi. Complete removal of calculi and protein-restricted diets may have a beneficial effect in reducing recurrence of calculi.     

Membrane potential generation coupled to oxidation of external NADH in liver mitochondria

Oxidation of added NADH by rat liver mitochondria has been studied. It is found that exogenous NADH, when oxidized by rat liver mitochondria in sucrose hypotonic medium supplemented with Mg2+ and EGTA, generates a membrane potential (delta psi) even in the absence of added cytochrome c. ADP and phosphate decrease delta psi, the effect being reversed by oligomycin. Rotenone and myxothiazol do not inhibit delta psi generated by oxidation of exogenous NADH. Added cytochrome c increases the rate of the exogenous NADH oxidation and coupled delta psi formation. In sucrose isotonic medium, or in hypotonic medium without Mg2+, exogenous NADH fails to stimulate respiration and to form a membrane potential. In the presence of Mg2+, exogenous NADH appears to be effective in delta psi generation in isotonic sucrose medium if mitochondria were treated with digitonin. In isotonic KCl without Mg2+, oxidation of exogenous NADH is coupled to the delta psi formation and MgCl2 addition before mitochondria prevents this effect. In hypotonic (but not in isotonic) sucrose medium, Mg2+ makes a portion of the cytochrome c pool reducible by exogenous NADH or ascorbate. It is assumed that (i) hypotonic treatment or digitonin causes disruption of the outer mitochondrial membrane, and, as a consequence, desorption of the membrane-bound cytochrome c in a Mg2+-dependent fashion; (ii) incubation in isotonic KCI without Mg2+ results in swelling of mitochondrial matrix, disruption of the outer membrane and cytochrome c desorption whereas Mg2+ lowers the K+ permeability of the inner membrane and, hence, prevents swelling; (iii) desorbed cytochrome c is reduced by added NADH via NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase and cytochrome b5 or by ascorbate and is oxidized by cytochrome oxidase. The role of desorbed cytochrome c in oxidation of superoxide and cytoplasmic NADH as well as possible relations of these events to apoptosis are discussed.     

The work experience of the medical service of the Moscow Military District in personnel health protection]

Reforming and downsizing of the Armed Forces, forming up its new infrastructure place new complicated tasks for the medical service of the Moscow military district. It focuses its efforts on the most urgent social problem--the health care of personnel, which is the main component of the combat strength. In 1997 the personnel of military units that had a higher level of morbidity underwent non-specific prophylactic procedures, resulting in a reduced number of cases and follow-up complications. Due to some command measures developed, the young recruits were able to adapt themselves to the army environment faster than before. A number of directives were issued to improve sanitary-epidemiological situation in some garrisons. A series of new programmes help to reduce personnel morbidity by improving their living and working conditions and to strengthen overall security.