Extended follow-up of the CYCLOFA-LUNE trial comparing two sequential induction and maintenance treatment regimens for proliferative lupus nephritis based either on cyclophosphamide or on cyclosporine A.

Objective To evaluate the extended follow-up of the CYCLOFA-LUNE trial, a randomized prospective trial comparing two sequential induction and maintenance treatment regimens for proliferative lupus nephritis based either on cyclophosphamide (CPH) or cyclosporine A (CyA). Patients and methods Data for kidney function and adverse events were collected by a cross-sectional survey for 38 of 40 patients initially randomized in the CYCLOFA-LUNE trial. Results The median follow-up time was 7.7 years (range 5.0-10.3). Rates of renal impairment and end-stage renal disease, adverse events (death, cardiovascular event, tumor, premature menopause) did not differ between the CPH and CyA group, nor did mean serum creatinine, 24 h proteinuria and SLICC damage score at last follow-up. Most patients in both groups were still treated with glucocorticoids, other immunosuppressant agents and blood pressure lowering drugs. Conclusion An immunosuppressive regimen based on CyA achieved similar clinical results to that based on CPH in the very long term.

Nabumetone induces less gastrointestinal mucosal changes than diclofenac retard.

The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and the effects on the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of nabumetone and diclofenac retard in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). An open, multicentre, randomised, comparative, endoscopy-blind parallel group study included 201 patients with nabumetone and 193 patients with diclofenac retard suffering from moderate to severe OA of the knee or hip joint. Twelve clinical efficacy variables were assessed and a portion of the population underwent gastroduodenoscopy. All patients exhibited significant improvement in pain severity and pain relief (p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001, respectively) but there were no differences between the groups for all the efficacy variables. Eleven per cent of patients on nabumetone and 19% on diclofenac experienced GIT side-effects. Sixty-nine patients with nabumetone and 61 with diclofenac underwent gastroduodenoscopy. The differences in the mucosal grade for the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum at baseline were not significant. In the oesophagus there were significantly less changes after treatment with nabumetone (p = 0.007) than with diclofenac; there were similar findings in the stomach (p < 0.001) but the difference in the duodenum was not significant. This study indicates that nabumetone and diclofenac retard have similar efficacy in the treatment of OA, but nabumetone has significantly fewer GIT side-effects.

Study of cytokinin metabolism using HPLC with radioisotope detection.

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an on-line flow-through radioactivity detector was used to monitor the metabolism of cytokinins ([3H]6-benzylaminopurine and [3H]6-benzylaminopurine riboside) after their incorporation into wheat seedlings. The production and conversion of individual metabolites was assayed within a short time interval (0.5-3 h). Extraction recoveries from plant tissue proved to be 85%. The uptake of both cytokinins was very rapid and differences in their metabolism were already perceptible after 30 min. The individual metabolites were identified as adenine (Ade), adenosine (Ado), benzyladenine-9-glucoside (BA-9G), 6-benzyladenine (BA) and benzyladenosine (BAR). The method is very fast, sensitive and very useful for metabolic studies. The detection limit was 40 pg (220 Bq) for BA at the level of 2 ng ml-1.

Investigation into PCB biodegradation using uniformly 14C-labelled dichlorobiphenyl.

Biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil is considered to be very complex due to various physico-chemical factors involved. Isotope labelling technique is the best to trace fate of the xenobiotic in the environment. In this work, the uniformly 14C-labelled PCB congener 11 (3,3'-chlorobiphenyl) was chosen as a low chlorinated coplanar biphenyl which was assumed to be readily degraded by microorganisms. Pleurotus ostreatus and two Pseudomonas species, representing white rot fungi and soil bacteria were used separately or in a consortium. The amount of liberated 14CO2 and radio-HPLC, HPLC, GC-MS, and radio-TLC analyses of extracts at the end of a two-month experiment showed that the mineralization of PCB 11 was < 0.4%, volatilization < 3.1%, and 30% of radioactivity was irreversibly bound to the soil matrix. The respective contents of all intermediate metabolites were 4.7 to 10.5 and 2.5 to 2.7% where Pseudomonas alcaligenes alone or in combination with P. putida was applied. 3-Chlorobenzoic acid was the major biodegradation product.

Capillary electrophoresis of cytokinins and cytokinin ribosides.

A CE separation of cytokinins and cytokinin ribosides and some other purine and pyrimidine bases has been developed. Two electrolyte systems have been tested: 150 mM phosphoric acid, pH 1.8 and 50 mM sodium dodecylsulphate + 20 mM borate, pH 9.2. The migration times were measured and the effects of the solute structures were discussed. Preliminary experiments with plant extracts have been performed to identify the cytokinins and their ribosides. Both the systems can be used, but 150 mM phosphoric acid is better suited for identification of cytokinins in plant extracts, as the electropherograms are subject to fewer interferences.

Degradation of a radiolabeled juvenile hormone analog using two insect species.

A synthetic insect juvenile hormone analog (a juvenoid), ethyl N-[2-[4-[[2,2-(ethylenedioxy)cyclohexyl]methyl]phenox]ethyl]carbam ate, which has displayed high biological activity against different insect species and high stability under field conditions, was selected as a biologically active model compound for a study of a juvenile hormone analog degradation. The biologically active compound itself and its three diversely radiolabeled derivatives were applied to the flesh fly (Sarcophaga bullata) or the tsetse fly (Glossina palpalis), respectively. Monitoring of a fate of the applied juvenile hormone analog was carried out using a detection method of the radioactivity microdistribution within the whole insect body in combination with a radio high performance liquid chromatography (radio-HPLC), both of whole-body extracts made in different, but in advance scheduled, time intervals, and of extracts of insect excreta accumulated over an eight-day experiment.

[Practical results of monitoring pregnancy in women with systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Praktické výsledky sledování tehotenství u zen se systémovým lupus erythematodes.

BACKGROUND: The authors dealt with the urgent problem under what conditions it is possible to achieve in a woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or another collagenosis, or secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) a favourable outcome of pregnancy and the delivery of a healthy infant. METHODS AND RESULTS: The investigation comprised 23 women incl. 20 with SLE, two with the mixed form of a diffuse connective tissue disease (MCTD) and one with Sjögren's syndrome of the primary type. From the total number of 20 pregnancies six were consulted in advance with a doctor (group I-s-called planned pregnancies) and all terminated by a successful delivery. Of 11 pregnancies which were not consulted with a doctor in advance (group II-so-called unplanned pregnancies) 9 were terminated in term, however, only 5 with a successful delivery (55.5%), two women are still pregnant. Exacerbation of the basic disease during pregnancy was recorded only once and did not lead to discontinuation of the pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The authors provide evidence that desired pregnancy of informed women suffering from SLE or another collagenosis when assisted by a specialized medical team can lead to a successful delivery of an infant.

[Hyaluronic Acid (hyalgan(r)) in the treatment of gonarthritis.]. / Kyselina hyaluronová (Hyalgan(R)) v lécbe gonartrózy.

The authors made an open multicentre clinical study with the administration of hyaluronic acid (Hyalgan(R) - Fidia) in patients with gonarthritis. The study comprised 31 patients with gonarthritis grade II-III according to Kellgren, 30 of whom completed the study. Hyalgan was administered to the patients - vials á 2 ml in five injections in weekly intervals by the intraarticular route. The patients were followed up for another three months after completed treatment. A significant decline of pain on the visual analogue scale (VAS) was recorded already two weeks after onset of treatment (p = 0.001) and this decline persisted for another 13 weeks after termination of treatment. The algofunctional indices (Lequesne, Jezek) also declined after the first injection, whereby a statistically significant reduction was recorded still after 12 weeks, as compared with values before the onset of treatment (p = 0.001). Similar results were obtained also in objective evaluations (effusion, temperature above joint, tenderness). Already after the second injection a significantly shorter time was required for a 20 m walk. The mean daily paracetamol consumption declined from a mean value of 1496 +/- 777 mg before administration to 670 6 661 mg at the end of the investigation (p = 0.00006). Undesirable effects (increased intensity of pain after puncture) was recorded in one patient (3.3%). Evidence was provided that Hyalgan(R) belongs as to its profile of effectiveness among so-called SYSADOAs (symptomatic slow acting drugs for OA). Treatment is quite safe. Key words: knee osteoarthritis, hyaluronic acid, i. a. treatment.

Alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase predominates in cultured jejunum of suckling rats: it is up-regulated by dexamethasone and secreted during cultivation.

The alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase (alpha 2,6-ST) acting on N-acetyllactosamine is the major sialyltransferase of suckling rat jejunum. Jejunal explants of 7-day-old rats maintained in serum-free or serum-containing organ culture secreted alpha 2,6-ST into the cultivation medium. Dexamethasone (80 nM) stimulates primarily the secreted pool of alpha 2,6-ST. Fetal calf serum promotes the stimulatory effect of dexamethasone also on the bound form of alpha 2,6-ST.