Thermal analysis of renal stones

The chemical composition of 200 renal stones, collected from Taxila, Rawalpindi and Islamabad regions in Pakistan, was determined by thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) techniques. The thermal curves show weight losses at various temperatures indicating dehydration and decomposition phenomena of renal stones. Results were compared with qualitative data obtained by IR analysis which confirmed the chemical composition of various stones in the solid state. The thermal curves helped in the differentiation of various kinds of water held by stones and their chemical composition was obtained by weight loss during pyrolysis. It was found that 26.5% of the stones were pure whewellite, 3% weddellite, 13% uric acid anhydrous, 7.5% struvite, 2.5% ammonium acid urate, 0.5% cystine and 47% stones had mixed composition. In the mixed state the most frequent combinations were those of calcium oxalate with uric acid (14.5%) and with phosphates (27.5%).

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Zusammenfassung Mittels TG und DTA wurde die chemische Zusammensetzung von 200 Nierensteinen untersucht, die in den Gebieten Taxila, Rawalpindi und Islamabad in Indien gesammelt wurden. Die Thermogramme zeigen Masseverluste bei verschiedenen Temperaturen, die auf Dehydratation und Zersetzung der Nierensteine hinweisen. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit den qualitativen Resultaten aus der IR-Analyse verglichen, welche die chemische Zusammensetzung der verschiedenen Steine im festen Zustand bekräftigte. Die Thermogramme halfen bei der Unterscheidung von verschieden gebundenem Wasser, ihre chemische Zusammensetzung wurde durch Gewichtsverlust bei der Pyrolyse bestimmt. Man fand, daß 26.5 % der Steine aus reinem Whewellit bestanden, 3 % aus Weddellit, 13 % aus anhydrierter Harnsäure, 7.5 % aus Struvit, 2.5 % aus Ammmoniumhydrogenurat, 0.5 % aus Cystin und 47 % der Steine hatten eine gemischte Zusammensetzung. Die häufigsten Kombinationen der Mischzusammensetzungen waren Calciumoxalat mit Harnsäure (14.5 %) und mit Phosphaten (27.5 %).

     

Altered protein synthesis in rat kidney cells exposed to semiconductor materials

It is thought that the extensive industrial use of arsenic, gallium and indium, which have applications as the materials for III–V semiconductors, will increase human exposure to these compounds in the near future. We have undertaken the development of new biological indicators for assessing exposure to these elements. Element-specific alterations in protein synthesis patterns were expected to occur following exposure to arsenic compounds. We examined alterations in protein synthesis in primary cultures of rat kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells by sodium arsenite, gallium chloride and indium chloride, utilizing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. After incubation with the chemicals for 20 h, newly synthesized proteins were labeled with [³⁵S]methionine. A protein with a molecular weight (M_r) of 30 000 was markedly induced on exposure to 10 μM arsenite or 300 μM gallium chloride, and synthesis of proteins with M_r values of 85 000, 71 000, 65 000, 51 000, 38 000 and 28 000 were also increased by exposure to arsenite and gallium chloride. No significant changes were observed upon exposure to indium. Some of these increased proteins could be heat-shock proteins.     

Thermal decomposition of struvite

Struvite (NH₄MgPO₄·6H₂O) is a mineral often found in urinary tracts and kidneys. Thermal decomposition using slow low heating shows that the 'kidney' stone can be decomposed at temperatures below 40°C. At this temperature both ammonia and water are evolved. If more rapid heating is employed the decomposition occurs at around 80°C. The implication of this work rests with the use of low slow heat for the decomposition of the kidney stones. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optimized POCl3-assisted synthesis of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole/1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives as anti-influenza agents

Although recent decades have witnessed the synthesis of 1,3,4-thiadiazoles via phosphorus POCl₃-promoted cyclization reaction, simultaneous access to 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole and 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole analogs remains unexpected and elusive. Herein, a detailed regiocontrolled synthesis of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazoles in good to high yields with good regioselectivities from readily available thiosemicarbazides using POCl₃ was disclosed. Meantime, to establish a comprehensive structure–activity relationship, 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives as single regioisomers were prepared via EDCI·HCl-triggered cyclization of the thiosemicarbazide intermediates. The in vitro anti-influenza assays proved that the selected compounds with the pyrazine/pyridine ring exhibited certain inhibitory activities against influenza A virus strains A/HK/68 (H3N2) and A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) in MDCK cells. Among them, N-(adamantan-1-yl)-5-(5-(azepan-1-yl)pyrazin-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine (4j) was the most active compound, and exhibited favorable activity with EC₅₀ values of 3.5 μM and 7.5 μM, respectively. In addition, the molecular docking results explained the reason why compound 4j had dual inhibitory activity and revealed the reasonable binding mode of this compound with the M2-S31N and M2-WT ion channels. This compound had the potential to be further developed as an anti-influenza drug.     

Synthesis of Anhydronectriachrysone,an Extensively Conjugated γ-Pyrone

The synthesis of anhydronectriachrysone (2) through the DIBAH reduction of toralactone (3), followed by dehydration of the corresponding lactol (4) is reported (38% yield).     

Searching for Potential Markers of Glomerulopathy in Urine by HS-SPME-GC×GC TOFMS

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exiting in urine are potential biomarkers of chronic kidney diseases. Headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was applied for extraction VOCs over the urine samples. Volatile metabolites were separated and identified by means of two-dimensional gas chromatography and time of flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC TOF MS). Patients with glomerular diseases (n = 27) and healthy controls (n = 20) were recruited in the study. Different VOCs profiles were obtained from patients and control. Developed methodology offers the opportunity to examine the metabolic profile associated with glomerulopathy. Four compounds found in elevated amounts in the patients group, i.e., methyl hexadecanoate; 9-hexadecen-1-ol; 6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one and 2-pentanone were proposed as markers of glomerular diseases.     

二氯苯染毒对小鼠组织中Zn、Cu、Fe含量的影响

采用亚急性试验,探讨对二氯苯（P—DCB）对小鼠组织中Zn、Cu、Fe的影响。选用36只小鼠,雌雄各半,随机分成3组,每组12只,分别给予P—DCBO（对照组）、450、900mg·kg^-1,每天灌胃染毒1次,连续7d,染毒结束后24h处死动物并称体质量、肝、肾质量,计算脏器系数。用火焰原子吸收法测定肝脏、血液和肾脏中Zn、Cu、Fe含量。与对照组相比,各染毒组体质量无明显变化。各组肝体系数无差异,但染毒组肾体系数明显高于对照组（P〈O．05）。900mg·kg^-1组肝脏中Zn含量及w（Zn）／w（Cu）值较450mg·kg^-1组有明显升高。与对照组相比,各染毒组血液中Zn含量呈现下降趋势,900nag·kg^-1组较对照组明显下降（P〈0．05）。900mg·kg^-1组肾脏中Cu质量分数明显低于450mg·kg^-1组,Fe质量分数则较对照组及450mg·kg^-1组均有降低,P—DCB可影响小鼠组织中元素Zn、Cu、Fe的含量及不同器官的再分布,提示微量元素失衡可能是P—DCB毒作用的重要机制。     

SOFA评分联合超声对脓毒症合并AKI患者的预后价值分析

本文主要探究SOFA评分联合超声对脓毒症合并急性肾损伤(AKI)患者的预后价值。选取2017年1月~2019年1月本院脓毒症合并AKI患者50例作为观察组,并分为AKI 1、2、3期,将同期入院的50例脓毒症患者作为对照组,两组患者均采用SOFA评分联合超声进行预后评估。结果发现,观察组PDU评分低于对照组(P<0.05),RI值、SOFA评分高于对照组(P<0.05);不同分期的3组间的PDU评分、SOFA评分不同,随着AKI分期的增加,PDU评分降低、SOFA评分增加(P<0.05),但3组间的RI值并无不同(P>0.05);50例脓毒症合并AKI患者发生院内死亡率为44.00%。经单因素分析发现,年龄、机械通气时间、ICU住院时间、AKI分期、脓毒症休克、SOFA评分、PDU评分为影响患者预后不佳的因素(P<0.05);AKI3期、发生脓毒性休克、SOFA评分、PDU评分是脓毒症合并AKI患者预后不佳的独立因素(P<0.05),ROC曲线下面积(AUC)越大,对预后的预测效能越好,当AUC>70.00%时具有临床价值。两者联合显著高于单独应用SOFA评分(AUC=74.28%)或PDU评分(P<0.001)。上述结果说明,脓毒症合并AKI患者采用SOFA评分联合超声用于评估患者的预后,优于单独采用SOFA评分或超声,两者联合的预测价值更大。     

Differential effects of various trivalent and pentavalent organic and inorganic arsenic species on glucose metabolism in isolated kidney cells

We have compared the acute toxicities of the trivalent arsenic species arsenite, oxophenylarsine (PhAsO), 2-chlorovinyloxoarsine (ClvinAsO), methyloxoarsine (MeAsO), and of the pentavalent arsenic species arsenate, methyl- and phenyl-arsonic acid in rat kidney tubules (RKT) and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. In RKT, PhAsO (1 μmol I⁻¹, 60 min) almost completely (>90%) blocked gluconeogenesis without affecting cell viability as assessed by dye exclusion. In MDCK cells, PhAsO (2 μmol I⁻¹) markedly inhibited glucose uptake (60% of controls) within 30 min, while cell viability, as assessed by formazan formation, was not affected within 180 min. MeAsO and CIvinAsO were similarly effective to PhAsO in both RKT and MDCK cells. Estimated IC₅₀ values for the inhibition of gluconeogenesis were 0.55 (PhAsO), 0.69 (CIvinAsO) and 0.99 μmol I⁻¹ (MeAsO) and for the inhibition of glucose uptake 1.23 (PhAsO). 2.62 (CIvinAsO) and 6.99 μmol I⁻¹ (MeAsO). At longer storage times, aqueous solutions of MeAsO and of CIvinAsO, but not of PhAsO, gradually lost toxic activity in RKT and MDCK cells, especially at alkaline pH. Concomitantly, a gradual decrease in content as assessed by HPLC was detected. Roughly 10-fold higher concentrations of arsenite than of PhAsO were required for comparable effects on gluconeogenesis in RKT, whereas in MDCK cells about 100-fold higher concentrations were needed for similar inhibition of glucose uptake. Pentavalent arsenate and phenylarsonate were two orders of magnitude less effective than PhAsO in RKT, while methylarsonate had virtually no influence on gluconeogenic activity. In MDCK cells the pentavalent arsenic species showed effects only in the millimolar range. It is concluded (1) that different mechanisms are involved in the acute toxicity of oxoarsines and inorganic arsenic and (2) that PhAsO offers advantages as a model substance for mono-substituted trivalent arsenicals, because it is more stable and more readily detectable.     

X射线衍射法在泌尿系结石研究中的应用

泌尿系结石是一种世界范围的常见病、多发病。准确分析尿石的化学成分和物相,有助于了解泌尿系结石的形成机制。X射线衍射法(XRD)是进行泌尿系结石研究的最重要方法之一,用作定性分析时具有可靠性,用作定量分析时具有准确性,且检测简便迅速、灵敏度高、多组分和多晶态可一次性检测。文章综述了XRD在泌尿系结石定性和定量分析中的应用以及XRD与质子激发X射线发射光谱(PIXE)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)和原子力显微镜(AFM)等联合分析尿石的研究进展。