Response of osteocalcin and insulin resistance after a hypocaloric diet in obese patients.

OBJECTIVE: Osteocalcin is a hormone with a complex cross-talk between adipose tissue and the skeleton. The aim of the present study was to explore the change of osteocalcin, insulin resistance, and adipocytokines after hypocaloric diet in obese patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A population of 178 obese patients was analyzed. At basal time and 2 months after the dietary intervention, weight, fat mass, body mass index, basal glucose, insulin, insulin resistance (HOMA), total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin, adiponectin, IL-6, TNF alpha and osteocalcin levels were measured. RESULTS: After dietary treatment, BMI, weight, fat mass, waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, systolic pressure, glucose, HOMA, triglycerides, total cholesterol, leptin and LDL cholesterol decreased significantly. Osteocalcin levels have a significant decrease after weight loss (Osteocalcin (ng/ml); 9.76 ± 5.3 vs 9.31 ± 4.1: p < 0.05). In correlation analysis, a negative association was detected among osteocalcin and age, BMI, fat mass, glucose, C reactive protein, interleukin-6. In the linear regression with age-, sex-, BMI, fat mass- and insulin- adjusted, only C reactive protein concentrations are related with osteocalcin levels -0.21 (CI 95%: -0.40 -0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Osteocalcin decreased after a weight loss treatment. Moreover, osteocalcin levels, before and after treatment, were related in a negative way with CRP fat mass, body mass index, age and glucose levels.

Physico-chemical properties and stability of the new hypoxia-selective agent 7-chloro-3-[[N,N-dimethylamino)propyl]amino]-2-quinoxalinecarbonitrile 1,4-di-N-oxide hydrochloride.

7-Chloro-3-[[N,N-dimethylamino)propyl]amino]-2-quinoxalinecarbonitril e 1,4-di-N-oxide hydrochloride (Q-85 HCl), a new hypoxia-selective agent, was studied to clarify its physico-chemical properties. Melting point, spectra (UV, IR, NMR, MS), thermal behaviour, solubility, pKa, partition coefficient and chromatographic characteristics (TLC, HPLC) have been determined. The stability of Q-85 HCl was studied under various conditions by HPLC. Q-85 HCl in solid state was very stable to heat and fairly stable to light. Some degradation products of Q-85 HCl were identified in basic solution.

[Preduodenal portal vein (author's transl)]. / Vena porta preduodenal.

Three cases of preduodenal portal vein (PDPV) observed in newborns and young infants are reported. In two patients the diagnosis was made during operations for duodenal stenosis and in the remaining one while operating for midgut volvulus and necrosis. In no case was the PDPV responsible for the clinical picture but in all three patients it was accompanied by other causes of obstruction: annular pancreas, extrinsic adhesive bands and malrotation. In one case there was also an asplenia, and polisplenia was present in another one. Both had malrotation and some degree of abnormal visceral asimmetry. The incidence of associated malformations in 52 previously reported cases is analyzed, and the more convincing embriological explanation for this anomaly is commented upon.

[Effects of parenteral nutrition solutions on the venous walls (an experimental study) (author's transl)]. / Efectos de las soluciones de alimentación parenteral sobre las paredes venosas periféricas. Estudio experimental.

Lesions (thrombosis, intimal damage, perivascular inflammation) of the marginal ear vein of domestic rabbits were studied 48 hours after infusions of parenteral feeding solutions administered through a butterfly-type 25 needles. Six-hour infusions with a rather diluted solution (12 g dextrose, 1.25 g. aminoacids, 1.5 mEq., Na, Cl, K and PO4 and 1.5 mEq. Ca and Mg per 100 ml.) with osmolality of 930 and pH of 6.9 were slightly harmful, while the lesions were considerable after 12-hours infusions. A more concentrated solution (15.83 g. dextrose, 2.08 g. aminoacids, 2.5 mEq. Na, Cl, K and PO4 0.2 MEq. Ca and Mg per 100 ml.) with osmolality of 1,600 and pH 6.7 produced severe lesions both after 6 and 12-hours infusions. Similar results were obtained with a mixture of this solution with intralipid at clinical doses (4 g. fat for 100 ml. of solution). This mixture had 1,280 mOsm/1. and pH of 6.7. Rather surprisingly the lesions were even more marked when intralipid alone was infused (osmolality 317, pH 7.5). These results lead to the conclusion that practically all fluids used for parenteral feeding purposes either centrally or peripherally, are considerably harmful for the venous wall after a few hours of infusion, probably due to their shifts from isoosmolality and chemical neutrality. Specially puzzling was the harmful local effect of the otherwise well tolerated intralipid.