Breast milk FA composition changed markedly from day 5 to 42 with increasing correlation to infants' plasma. Calculation of desaturase activities suggested high capacity of LCPUFA synthesis.

Together with the development of peritoneal dialysis (PD), appropriate animal models play an important role in the investigation of physiological, pathophysiological and clinical aspects of PD. However, there is still not an ideal experimental PD animal model. In this study, 45 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 (n=15) was receiving daily peritoneal injection through the catheter connected to the abdominal cavity, using PD solution containing 3.86 % D-glucose. Group 2 (n=15) was receiving daily peritoneal injection of 0.9 % physiological saline through a catheter. Group 3 (n=15), which was subjected to sham operation, served as controls. Our results showed that WBC counts in peritoneal effluent of Group 1 were slightly higher than those of Group 2 and control group, respectively (p<0.05). However, there was no episode of infection in any group. In addition, there was no significant difference in neutrophils fractions among these three groups. Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining demonstrated a dramatic increase in thickness of the mesothelium-to-muscle layer of peritoneum exposed to high glucose (Group 1) compared to Group 2 and controls (p<0.01). These data indicated that we established a novel rat model of PD with a modified catheter insertion method. This model is more practical, easy to operate, not too expensive and it will facilitate the investigate of long-term effects of PD.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the transforming growth factor (TGF)-b1 gene −509C/T polymorphism and the susceptibility to primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS), and in particular to the severe degree of tubulointerstitial damage (TID) seen in Chinese. Methods: Ninety-eight PNS patients and 128 normal controls were studied. The extent of tubulointerstitial changes was evaluated and patients were divided into two groups according to the severe or mild degree of TID. The TGF-b1gene −509C/ T polymorphism was detected with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique, and the serum level of TGF-b1 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: No statistical differences in genotype or allele frequency of the TGF-b1 gene −509C/T were found between PNS and normal subjects. However, T allele and CT + TT genotype frequency were higher in the PNS with severe TID than the mild TID and controls. Additionally, the serum concentration of TGF-b1 was significantly higher in the PNS with severe TID group than the other two groups and in the TT genotype individuals than the CC and CT genotype individuals. A logistic regression analysis demonstrated that TGF-b1 gene −509C/T genotype was the risk factor of TID in PNS patients [OR (odd ratio) 2.34, confidence interval (CI) 0.98-3.46, p = 0.012]. Conclusion. TGF-b1 gene −509C/T polymorphism was associated with severe TID. The higher value in serum concentration of TGF-b1 was also associated with severe TID and the TT genotype/T allele. T allele gene might be the important risk factor for susceptibility.