ABSTRACT Anatomical and ultrasonographic diagnostic work-up of testicular abscesses (n = 2) and testicular microlithiasis (n = 3) in Kazakh rams is described. For testicular abscesses, the localized symptoms include enlargement of the testicle and decreased elasticity, accompanied by varying degrees of pain and fever, abnormal behavior, walking or urinating with legs spread apart and accompanied by painful moans. Ultrasound findings: several hypoechoic or fluid dark areas with irregular morphology appear within the testicular parenchyma, with unclear borders with the surrounding normal tissues and uneven internal echogenicity. An autopsy revealed unilateral caseous necrosis with degeneration of all testicular tissues. Testicular microlithiasis does not present clinically and normal semen quality is not affected. Ultrasound findings: sparse, scattered, or dense punctate, pinpoint-like echogenic dots, some with comet tail signs and no acoustic shadow, are seen in the testicular parenchyma. The routine treatment for testicular abscesses is surgical drainage, but when degeneration and necrosis of testicular tissue occur, leading to severe systemic symptoms, the animal must be put down. Testicular microlithiasis is relatively rare and there are no effective treatments or interventions available, but it remains a potential contributor to testicular dysfunction and other secondary conditions. workup work up n 2 3 described elasticity fever behavior moans findings parenchyma echogenicity affected sparse scattered punctate pinpointlike pinpoint like dots shadow drainage occur down available conditions

RESUMO Descreveu-se o diagnóstico anatômico e ultrassonográfico de abscessos testiculares (n = 2) e microlitíase testicular (n = 3) em carneiros do Cazaquistão. No caso de abscessos testiculares, os sintomas localizados incluem aumento do testículo e diminuição da elasticidade, acompanhados de vários graus de dor e febre. Observou-se comportamento anormal, com o animal andando ou urinando com as pernas abertas, acompanhado de gemidos dolorosos. Achados ultrassonográficos: várias áreas hipoecogênicas ou escuras fluidas com morfologia irregular aparecem no parênquima testicular, com bordas pouco nítidas, com os tecidos normais circundantes e ecogenicidade interna irregular. Uma autópsia revelou necrose caseosa unilateral com degeneração de todos os tecidos testiculares. A microlitíase testicular não se apresenta clinicamente e a qualidade normal do sêmen não é afetada. Achados ultrassonográficos: pontos ecogênicos esparsos, dispersos ou densos, pontilhados, semelhantes a alfinetes, alguns com sinais de cauda de cometa e sem sombra acústica, são vistos no parênquima testicular. O tratamento de rotina para abscessos testiculares é a drenagem cirúrgica, mas, quando ocorre degeneração e necrose do tecido testicular, levando a sintomas sistêmicos graves, o animal deve ser eliminado. A microlitíase testicular é relativamente rara e não há tratamentos ou intervenções eficazes disponíveis, no entanto continua sendo um possível contribuinte para a disfunção testicular e outras condições secundárias. Descreveuse Descreveu n 2 3 Cazaquistão elasticidade febre Observouse Observou anormal abertas dolorosos ultrassonográficos nítidas afetada esparsos densos pontilhados alfinetes acústica cirúrgica mas graves eliminado disponíveis secundárias

O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a distribuição tecidual e excreção de cinco componentes de extrato Portulaca oleracea L. (POE) em ratos após administração oral. Um método analítico rápido, sensível e específico para quantificação de cinco componentes de POE (ácido cafeico (CA), ácidop-cumárico (p-CA), ácido ferúlico (FA), quercitrina (QUER) e hesperidina (HP)) por cromatografia líquida de ultra eficiência (UHPLC), empregando puerarina como padrão interno de referência. Os compostos foram quantificados em diferentes tecidos dos animais, sendo eles fígado, intestino, estômago, músculo, coração, pulmão, cérebro, rim e baço, urina e fezes. Os resultados mostraram que apenas p-CA e FA foram encontradas em todos os tecidos com baixas taxas cumulativas e CA apresentou níveis mais altos no intestino e estômago com a taxa cumulativa um pouco mais elevada na urina e nas fezes após 24 h. HP e QUER apresentaram baixas concentrações nos tecidos com baixas taxas cumulativas.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the tissue distribution and excretion of five components of Portulaca oleracea L. extract (POE) in rat following oral administration. A rapid, sensitive and specific ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method with puerarin as the internal standard was used for the quantitative analysis of five components of POE, including caffeic acid (CA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), ferulic acid (FA), quercitrin (QUER) and hesperidin (HP) in rat tissues including the liver, intestine, stomach, muscle, heart, lung, brain, kidney and spleen, urine and feces. The results show that onlyp-CA and FA were found in nearly all tissues with low cumulative ratios, and CA was higher in the intestine and stomach with a slightly higher cumulative ratio in the urine and feces after 24 h. HP and QUER were found at low levels in the tissues with low cumulative ratios.

Background: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) and histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) are common acid suppressants used in gastrointestinal disorders. The trend of usage in Malaysia has changed from predominantly H2RA to PPI from 2007 to 2008, 3.46 versus 2.87 and 2.99 versus 3.24 DDD (Defined Daily Dose)/1000 population/day respectively. This raises concerns as PPI overutilization amounts to higher cost expenditure and are associated with various untoward consequences such as Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. Objectives: To evaluate the indication of acid suppression therapy (AST) and to look for predictors associated with the prophylactic use of PPI as compared to H2RA. Methods: Data collection was conducted via a standardized surveillance form over a 2-month period in the general medical wards of Sarawak General Hospital. All patients who received at least one dose of PPI or H2RA in any dosage form were included in the study. Appropriateness of prophylaxis was determined using current available guidelines. Selected risk factors were analysed using simple logistic regression to look for predictors associated with the choice of PPI in prophylactic AST. Results: Out of 212 cases in the present cohort, about three quarters (75.5%, n=160) of acid suppressants were given as prophylaxis. Over half of these did not have appropriate indications for prophylactic AST (58.1%, n=93). Among all cases given prophylactic AST, 75.0% (n=120) of them were given PPI. Renal insufficiency was identified as the only predictor associated with the use of prophylactic PPI in preference to H2RA (OR=2.86, 95%CI 1.21:6.72, p=0.011). Conclusion: Inappropriate prophylactic AST is a major concern and may even be underestimated due to the lack of appropriate guidelines. More data is required to guide the selection between PPI and H2RA, specifically the more cost-effective use of H2RA in patients with lower gastrointestinal risk or in whom PPI has no clear advantage.

Antecedentes: Los inhibidores de la bomba de protones (PPI) y los antagonistas de los receptores de histamina-2 (H2RA) son antiácidos comunes que se usan en desordenes gastrointestinales. La tendencia de uso en Malasia ha cambiado de la predominancia de H2RA a PPI entre 2007 y 2008 de 3,46 vs. 2,87 y 2,99 vs. 3,24 DDD (Dosis Diarias Definida)/1000 habitantes/día, respectivamente. Esto preocupa ya que la sobre-utilización de PPI produce mayores costes y están asociados a varias consecuencias indeseadas como diarrea asociada a Clostridium difficile, neumonía, y osteoporosis. Objetivos: Evaluar la indicación del tratamiento de supresión ácida (AST) y buscar predictores asociados con el uso de PPI comparados con H2RA. Métodos: Se recogieron datos mediante un formulario de vigilancia estandarizado durante 2 meses en los servicios de medicina heneral del Hospital General de Sarawak. Todos los pacientes que recibieron, al menos una dosis de PPI o de H2RA en cualquier forma fueron incluidos en el estudio. La adecuación del tratamiento fue determinada usando las guías disponibles actualmente. Se analizaron los factores de riesgo usando una regresión logística simple para buscar predictores asociados con la elección de PPI en AST profiláctica. Resultados: De los 200 casos presentes en la cohorte, cerca de tres cuartos (75,5; n=160) de los antiácidos fueron usado como profilácticos. Más de la mitad de ellos no tenían una indicación apropiada para AST profiláctica (58,1%, n=93). Entre todos los casos con AST profiláctica, el 75,0% (n=120) eran PPI. La insuficiencia renal fue el factor asociado con el uso de profilaxis con PPI en preferencia a los H2RA (OR=2,86; 95%CI 1,21:6,72, p=0,011). Conclusión: La AST profiláctica inadecuada es una gran problema y podría estar subestimada debido a la ausencia de guías apropiadas. Se requieren más datos para guiar la selección entre PPI y H2RA, específicamente el uso más coste-efectivo de los H2RA en pacientes con riesgo gastrointestinal bajo, o en los que no hay una clara ventaja de los PPI.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays an important role in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. The combined effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and Ang II on cardiomyocytes is unknown. The present study was designed to determine the effect of HGF on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and to explore the combined effect of HGF and Ang II on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Primary cardiomyocytes were isolated from neonatal rat hearts and cultured in vitro. Cells were treated with Ang II (1 µM) alone, HGF (10 ng/mL) alone, and Ang II (1 µM) plus HGF (10 ng/mL) for 24, 48, and 72 h. The amount of [³H]-leucine incorporation was then measured to evaluate protein synthesis. The mRNA levels of β-myosin heavy chain and atrial natriuretic factor were determined by real-time PCR to evaluate the presence of fetal phenotypes of gene expression. The cell size of cardiomyocytes was also studied. Ang II (1 µM) increased cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Similar to Ang II, treatment with 1 µM HGF promoted cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Moreover, the combination of 1 µM Ang II and 10 ng/mL HGF clearly induced a combined pro-hypertrophy effect on cardiomyocytes. The present study demonstrates for the first time a novel, combined effect of HGF and Ang II in promoting cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Steady state properties of a kinetic model of Smolen- Baxter- Byrne [P. Smolen, D. A. Baxter, J. H. Byrne, Amer. J. Physiol. Cell. Physiol. 274, 531 (1998)] are investigated in presence of two time- correlated noises. The steady state probability distribution can be obtained by solving the Fokker- Planck equation. It is found that both the correlated- time between the white noise and the colored noise and that between the colored noises can convert the bistability to monostability while the former activates the transcription and the latter suppresses it.