[Dialysis and transplant. Spain in 2005]. / Informe de Situación de Diálisis y Trasplante en España, 2005.

In 2005, renal replace treatment (dialysis and transplant) was necessary for about 40,000 people, without being known the number accurate and either their basic characteristics, such as: time in treatment, modality or treatment changes. The presented data cover the 76% of the Spanish population and are the result of the cooperation among technicians of registries, nephrologists and transplant coordinations. 4,125 people started RRT in 2005, the total estimated acceptance rate for renal replacement therapy in adults in Spain was 126 pmp and regarding other European countries it locates us in an intermediate area. The incidence rate seems to keep stable in the last years although there were some differences among communities (from 104 pmp in Castile and Leon to 186 pmp in Canary Islands). Diabetes Mellitus is the most diagnosed cause of renal failure in 2005, more than 20% of patients, followed by vascular diseases. The estimated prevalence of renal replacement therapy in Spain at the end of 2005 was 903 pmp, with important variations among communities (from 806 pmp in Cantabria to 1056 pmp in Valencia Region). The 47% of prevalent RRT patients had a functioning transplant. Mortality on haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis was 13.7% and 10.8% respectively. Mortality on transplant was 1.3%, one of the lowest values registered so far. Mortality on renal replacement therapy was around 5% among patients from 45 to 64 years, 11% between 65 and 74 years and 19% among the patients older than 75 years.

Outbreak of trichinellosis in Cáceres, Spain, December 2001-February 2002.

An outbreak of trichinellosis by T. britovi occured in Cáceres, Spain, between 18 December 2001 and 11 February 2002, following the consumption of insufficiently cooked meat from a domestic pig. Among the 56 people exposed, 26 cases of trichinellosis were diagnosed, of which 17 serologically confirmed. The mean incubation period was 23.5 days (3-45). Among the foodstuffs suspected, salami-type sausages were associated with an attack rate of 93.3% (14/15), and a dose-response relationship was observed. Trichinella britovi is essentially a sylvatic species, but this study suggests a change in the epidemiology of trichinellosis.

[Surveys on the rates of healthy carriers of Neisseria meningitidis and charaterization of circulating strains]. / Encuestas sobre tasas de portadores sanos de N. Meningitidis y caracterización de cepas circulantes.

BACKGROUND: During the epidemic season of 1996-97, the increase in the incidence of Meningococcal Disease caused by N. Meningitidis serogroup C led to the initiation of vaccination programmes and to the performance of a number of studies, among which, two were designed to ascertain the prevalence of healthy carriers and are presented here. METHODS: Healthy carriers in the population at large: cross survey performed between March and May 1998, among residents in Extremadura. We took two age groups: 0-19 years of age, vaccinated (n = 1,140) and 20 years of age and over (n = 1,193), unvaccinated. Healthy carriers in a military barracks: cross survey on a military base in May 1998 (n = 619), taking two groups: < 20 years of age (n = 453) vaccinated, and 20 years of age and over (n = 166) unvaccinated. RESULTS: Healthy carrier in the population at large. The percentage of carriers for all of the serogroups was: 0-19 years of age 7.98, 20 years of age and older 3.32, total 4.60, for serogroup B: 4.43, 2.25 and 2.84; for C: 0.04, 0.10 and 0.08 respectively. The differences between the two age groups in serogroup B and the total are statistically significant, as well as the greater prevalence of B over C. The subtype of the three samples with isolation of serogroup C was: one strain NT:P1.6, another strain 2b:P1.2, and one that could not be sub-typed. A strain that could not be classified into a serogroup was sub-typed as 2b:P1.5. Healthy carriers in a military barracks. The percentage of carriers for all of the serogroups was: < 20 years 8.43, 20 years of age and over 6.84, total 7.27, for serogroup B: 4.82, 3.75 and 4.04; and for C: 0.60, 0.00 and 0.16 respectively. The higher prevalence obtained in military subjects in comparison with the population at large revealed statistically significant differences. Also, the prevalence of serogroup B was significantly higher than C. The only isolated C strain was sub-typed as: p1.2,5. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of healthy carriers of N. meningitidis in the population at large was 4.60%, being higher in the lower age group and the barracks. Very low prevalence of serogroup C. Impossible to conclude that the strain N. meningitidis serogroup C was circulating during the 1997/98 season.

Neonatal exposure of male rats to estradiol benzoate causes rete testis dilation and backflow impairment of spermatogenesis.

Estrogens administered to perinatal rodents cause spermatogenesis impairment; this study was undertaken to determine the mechanisms by which estrogens exert this effect. Neonatal male Wistar rats received estradiol benzoate (either 0.5 mg/5g BW or 1 mg/5g BW) and were killed at days 10, 22, 33, 45, and 60. Controls received vehicle. In tubule cross-sections of transverse sections of the right testes, 1) tubular diameter (TD) and seminiferous epithelium height (SEH) were measured, 2) normal and impaired spermatogenesis were classified in terms of the most advanced germ cell type present, including tubules lined by Sertoli cells only. A significant dose-dependent rise in the tubule percentage lined by Sertoli cells only at day 60 reflected spermatogenesis impairment. This was evidenced by the presence of multinucleated germ cells in a thin epithelium and sloughed into an enlarged tubular lumen, which was reflected in a significant dose-dependent increase in TD/SEH values from day 22 onward. TD was significantly greater and SEH significantly lower in tubular segments located at the cranial than the caudal halves of rat testes treated with the high (days 22, 33, and 60) and the low dose (day 33). This indicated distension in cranial tubular segments, perhaps due to the fact that these segments were the closest to the dilated rete testis. Consequently, they showed the highest TD/SEH values and the most regressive features of spermatogenesis (tubules lined by Sertoli cells only). In contrast, caudal segments in rat testes treated with the low dose showing TD/SEH values similar to controls displayed a delayed maturation of spermatogenesis coinciding with the late appearance of mature Leydig cells.

Simultaneous proliferation and differentiation of mast cells and Leydig cells in the rat testis. Are common regulatory factors involved?

The proliferation and differentiation of mast cells and Leydig cells were studied in adult sham operated or hypophysectomized rats after the administration of ethylene dimethane sulphonate (EDS) and in prepubertal rats after neonatal treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist (Organon 30276; Oss, The Netherlands). After treatment with EDS, two proliferative waves were found. On day 3, several interstitial cell types proliferated, whereas mitotic cells corresponded to differentiating Leydig cells and mast cells around day 20. Differentiating Leydig cells showed a higher mitotic index than that of differentiating mast cells. Hypophysectomized animals showed high mitotic activity 3 days after treatment, but 21 days after treatment differentiating Leydig cells were absent and proliferative activity was reduced. The number of mast cells increased from day 15 to day 30 in EDS-treated rats and from day 15 to day 50 in hypophysectomized, EDS-treated rats. GnRH antagonist-treated rats showed poorly differentiated Leydig cells and abundant mitotic figures on day 23. Proliferation and differentiation of Leydig cells occurred concomitantly with the proliferation and differentiation of mast cells between 23 and 30 days of age. These results suggest that Leydig cells and mast cells in the rat testis share some common regulatory factors.

Estrous cycle-related changes in mast cell numbers in several ovarian compartments in the rat.

The absolute number of mast cells in several ovarian compartments was studied during the estrous cycle of the rat. The number of mast cells significantly increased on proestrus (either in the morning or in the evening) in the ovarian medulla and cortex, whereas no significant changes were found in the ovarian bursa. During proestrus, abundant mast cells were present in the bursal cavity along with eosinophil and mononuclear leucocytes. Mast cells in the different ovarian compartments corresponded to mature mast cells, and degranulated or immature cells were only rarely found. These results seem to indicate that migration from an extraovarian source could be the mechanism underlying cyclic changes in ovarian mast cells.

Are eosinophil leucocytes involved in the oestrogenic response of the postnatal rat epididymis?

The effects of oestrogens and androgens, alone or in combination, on several epididymal parameters have been studied in 15-day-old rats after neonatal treatment. Oestrogens induced several responses, such as increased growth of the fibromuscular stroma and eosinophil leucocyte accumulation, whereas the proliferative activity of the epithelium was decreased significantly. Otherwise, the density of intra-epithelial leucocytes was not modified. Different oestrogen-induced responses, such as the increase in volume of the fibromuscular stroma and eosinophil leucocyte accumulation were inhibited by treatment with testosterone, whereas dihydrotestosterone had no appreciable effect. This study raises the possibility that eosinophils are mediators of some of the oestrogenic responses in the early postnatal rat epididymis.

Leydig cell involvement in the paracrine regulation of mast cells in the testicular interstitium of the rat.

The accumulation of mast cells in the rat testicular interstitium was studied under different experimental conditions in order to correlate this accumulation with the alterations of specific testicular tissue compartments or cell types. Estrogen treatment was effective in inducing mast cell proliferation when administered on Day 1 or at higher doses at 10 days of age. Estrogens were ineffective beyond 20 days of age. Postnatal treatment of neonatal-estrogen-treated rats with FSH and LH prevented the appearance of mast cells. In contrast, treatment with the Leydig cell cytotoxic ethylene dimethane sulphonate (EDS) was effective in inducing mast cell accumulation only when administered to adult rats, inducing small numbers of mast cells at 45 days of age; it was ineffective on 30-day-old rats. Hypophysectomy alone did not determine the appearance of mast cells. However, when atrophic Leydig cells were destroyed with EDS, high numbers of mast cells accumulated in the testis. These results support the existence of Leydig cell-related inhibitory factors for mast cells in the rat testicular interstitium.

Heterogeneity of the cartilage-marrow interface during uncalcified cartilage resorption in the chick embryo tibia.

The morphology of the cartilage-marrow interface in chick embryo tibiae has been studied from Day 11 to Day 14. The cartilage-marrow interface did not present a uniform aspect and three different areas could be defined. Most of the interface was lined by fibroblast-like cells, macrophage-like cells and multinucleate giant cells. Other areas were characterised by a paucity of cells and by the presence of much cell debris. In focal areas the cartilage surface was excavated and covered by several layers of closely packed cells. These cells presented longitudinal axes perpendicular to the cartilage surface and were characterised ultrastructurally by the presence of large amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum and large cytoplasmic processes extending into the matrix. The presence of different cell associations along the cartilage-marrow interface seems to suggest that uncalcified cartilage resorption follows a phasic pattern.

Morphometric study of cartilage dynamics in the chick embryo tibia. II. Dexamethasone-treated embryos.

The cartilage dynamics in the tibia of dexamethasone-treated chick embryos has been studied by means of morphometric methods. Treated embryos showed a delay in the longitudinal growth of the tibia, as well as in the growth of all structures enclosed by the perichondrium-periosteum. The cartilage formation rate remained nearly unchanged (above 1 mm3/day) from Day 12 to Day 14, whereas the cartilage resorption rate was zero up to Day 13, and showed a non-significant increase from Day 13 onwards. This might be related to the scarcity of resorptive cells found in the cartilage-marrow interface. By Day 14 a certain recovery of the growth rhythm was observed. These results indicate that the greatest effect of dexamethasone occurs at the level of cartilage resorption.

Morphometric study of cartilage dynamics in the chick embryo tibia. I. Methodology and tissue compartments in normal embryos.

Cartilage dynamics during the development of the chick embryo tibia has been studied by means of morphometric methods, from the 11th to the 14th days. The volume densities of the structures enclosed by the perichondrium-periosteum did not change significantly through the age span studied, whereas the absolute volumes of these structures increased during the whole period under investigation. The cartilage volume showed the most rapid increase from Day 12 to Day 13 (by a factor of x1.74). The volume of the invading connective and vascular tissue increased rapidly from Day 11 to Day 14. The rate of cartilage formation decreased from 7.60 +/- 1.02 to 3.82 +/- 0.89 mm3/day (from Day 13 to Day 14), whereas the rate of cartilage resorption increased until Day 13 (by a factor of x2.71), reaching a plateau after this age. Although cartilage formation was higher than resorption during this period, the changes found by Day 13 indicate that shortly after this age cartilage resorption will predominate over cartilage formation, leading to the disappearance of the cartilaginous model.

Effects of neonatal estrogenization on rat bone development: a histomorphometric study.

The effects of a single dose of 500 micrograms of estradiol benzoate, administered on the first day of life, on rat bone development have been histomorphometrically studied at 15 days of age. Estrogenized animals presented decreased total tibial length (16.55 +/- 0.50 vs. 17.84 +/- 0.73 mm, P less than 0.05) and increased thickness of the cartilage growth plate (528.92 +/- 13.30 vs. 382.77 +/- 37.85 micron, P less than 0.01). This increase was mostly due to the presence of a wider (P less than 0.01) layer of hypertrophic cartilage in the estrogenized rats than in control ones. It might be related to the decreased number of chondroclasts (0.20 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.36 +/- 0.06 mm-1, P less than 0.05) found in the resorption zone. Two metaphyseal zones have been considered. In the upper metaphyseal zone there was an increase in the surface density of the cartilaginous trabeculae (49.20 +/- 1.80 vs. 40.72 +/- 1.95 mm2/mm3, P less than 0.05), without changes in the volume density. It was related to the presence of thinner and more irregular trabeculae in the estrogenized animals. In the lower metaphyseal zone both the volume (0.19 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.14 +/- 0.01 mm3/mm3, P less than 0.01) and surface (34.83 +/- 3.01 vs. 26.52 +/- 2.46 mm2/mm3, P less than 0.05) densities of the osseous trabecular tissue were increased in estrogenized rats. No significant differences were found either in the number of osteocytes per area unit of osseous tissue or in the number of osteoclasts per unit length of trabecular osseous tissue.