Revision of the ARRIVE guidelines: rationale and scope

In 2010, the NC3Rs published the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines to improve the reporting of animal research. Despite considerable levels of support from the scientific community, the impact on the quality of reporting in animal research publications has been limited. This position paper highlights the strategy of an expert working group established to revise the guidelines and facilitate their uptake. The group's initial work will focus on three main areas: prioritisation of the ARRIVE items into a tiered system, development of an explanation and elaboration document, and revision of specific items.

Dynamic changes in cytosolic and mitochondrial ATP levels in pancreatic acinar cells

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Previous studies of pancreatic acinar cells characterized the effects of Ca(2+)-releasing secretagogues and substances, inducing acute pancreatitis on mitochondrial Ca(2+), transmembrane potential, and NAD(P)H, but dynamic measurements of the crucial intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels have not been reported. Here we characterized the effects of these agents on ATP levels in the cytosol and mitochondria.

METHODS

ATP levels were monitored using cytosolic- or mitochondrial-targeted luciferases.

RESULTS

Inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation produced a substantial decrease in cytosolic ATP comparable to that induced by inhibition of glycolysis. Cholecystokinin-8 (CCK) increased cytosolic ATP in spite of accelerating ATP consumption. Acetylcholine, caerulein, and bombesin had similar effect. A bile acid, taurolithocholic acid 3-sulfate (TLC-S); a fatty acid, palmitoleic acid (POA); and palmitoleic acid ethyl ester (POAEE) reduced cytosolic ATP. The ATP decrease in response to these substances was observed in cells with intact or inhibited oxidative phosphorylation. TLC-S, POA, and POAEE reduced mitochondrial ATP, whereas physiological CCK increased mitochondrial ATP. Supramaximal CCK produced a biphasic response composed of a small initial decline followed by a stronger increase.

CONCLUSIONS

Both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation make substantial contributions to ATP production in acinar cells. Ca(2+)-releasing secretagogues increased ATP level in the cytosol and mitochondria of intact isolated cells. TLC-S, POA, and POAEE reduced cytosolic and mitochondrial ATP. When cells rely on nonoxidative ATP production, secretagogues as well as TLC-S, POA, and POAEE all diminish cytosolic ATP levels.

Pharmacokinetics of topical gentamicin in total hip arthroplasty

Two different ways of administering topical gentamicin were examined in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. 160 mg gentamicin, dissolved in isotonic saline, was instilled into the wounds of five out of ten patients. In the other five patients, the components of the prostheses were inserted by means of gentamicin-containing cement, 0.5 g per 40 g powder. Both the serum concentrations and the wound concentrations of gentamicin were determined constantly during the postoperative period. The average half-lives of gentamicin in the surgical wounds of the two groups of patients were found to be 3 1/2 and 25h, respectively. The average wound concentration was found to be higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration for staphylococci and aerobic Gram-negative rods for 18 and 11 h, respectively, in the group of patients treated with gentamicin solution compared with 160 and 67 h, respectively, in the group treated with the gentamicin-containing cement.

Risk of gallstone formation after jejunoileal bypass increases more with a 1:3 than with a 3:1 jejunoileal ratio

The rate of gallstone formation after jejunoileal bypass and the influence on the rate of the jejunoileal ratio of the functioning segment were assessed in 265 obese patients without stones in the gallbladder. After on the average 20.1 months of observation 231 patients were adequately examined for gallstones, which had developed in 2 (4%) out of 46 unoperated patients, in 9 (9%) out of 100 with a 3:1 jejunoileal ratio, and in 17 (20%) out of 85 with a 1:3 jejunoileal ratio of the functioning segment of the bypass. This result suggests that the association of ileal dysfunction and gallstone formation depends on the length of the functioning jejunum, which, according to previous studies, may reduce bile lithogenicity by stimulating bile salt synthesis.

Hemipelvectomy. Postoperative rehabilitation assessed on the basis of 41 cases

Rehabilitation was evaluated on the basis of 41 consecutive hemipelvectomies for malignant tumours. Owing to early metastasization and death, 11 patients were not supplied with prostheses, while prosthetic fitting was attempted in the remaining 30. Of this number 27 completed prosthetic training, with the result that 15 used their prosthesis, while 12 discarded it after some time, six because of poor general health owing to recurrence of the tumours and six because they felt that the prosthesis was too heavy and difficult to wear. Twenty-three returned to work. After elimination of the most severely tumour-affected patients, there were 19 one-year survivors without recurrence. Thirteen of them were using their prosthesis every day, and thirteen had gone back to work. Serious mental sequelae were found in five patients, including four with long-lasting exogenous depressions and one with anxiety neurosis.