Adult renal function is modified by perinatal taurine status in conscious male rats

Perinatal taurine exposure influences renal function in adult female offspring. This study tests the hypothesis that prenatal rather than postnatal taurine exposure alters renal function in adult conscious male rats. Female Sprague Dawley rats were fed normal rat chow and tap water alone (Control), tap water containing 3% β-alanine (taurine depletion, TD) or tap water containing 3% taurine (taurine supplementation, TS) either from conception until delivery (fetal period; TDF or TSF) or from delivery until weaning (lactation period; TDL or TSL). After weaning, male offspring were fed with the normal rat chow and tap water ad libitum. At 7-8 weeks of age, renal function was studied in conscious, restrained rats. Mean arterial pressures were slightly higher in rats receiving taurine supplementation during either the fetal or lactation periods (compared to Control and TD groups), but heart rates were not significantly different among groups. Effective renal blood flows were lower in TDF, TDL, and TSF rats (TDF 4.6±0.8 ml/min/g kidney weight (KW), TDL 3.0±0.9 ml/min/g KW, and TSF 2.8±0.7 ml/min/g KW) than in TSL (7.7±0.9 ml/min/g KW) or Control rats (7.3±1.6 ml/min/g KW). These differences were correlated with significant increases in renal vascular resistance in TDF, TDL, and TSF groups compared to TSL and Control rats. In contrast, glomerular filtration rates were not significantly different among groups. Although basal water and sodium excretion were slightly lower in TDL and TSF rats compared to other groups, their diuretic and natriuretic responses to an acute saline load were not different from Control. The present data indicate that in adult male rats, both perinatal supplementation and depletion of taurine can alter renal hemodynamics, and these effects are differentially time-dependent

Perinatal taurine exposure alters renal potassium excretion mechanisms in adult conscious rats

Perinatal taurine exposure has long-term effects on the arterial pressure and renal function. This study tests its influence on renal potassium excretion in young adult, conscious rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed normal rat chow and given water alone (C), 3% beta-alanine in water (taurine depletion, TD) or 3% taurine in water (taurine supplementation, TS), either from conception until delivery (fetal period; TDF or TSF) or from delivery until weaning (lactation period; TDL or TSL). In Experiment 1, male offspring were fed normal rat chow and tap water, while in Experiment 2, beta-alanine and taurine were treated from conception until weaning and then female pups were fed normal rat chow and 5% glucose in drinking water (CG, TDG or TSG) or water alone (CW, TDW or TSW). At 7-8 weeks of age, renal potassium excretion was measured at rest and after an acute saline load (5% of body weight) in conscious, restrained rats. Although all male groups displayed similar renal potassium excretion, TSF rats slightly increased fractional potassium excretion at rest but not in response to saline load, whereas TDF did the opposite. Plasma potassium concentration was only slightly altered by the diet manipulations. In female offspring, none of the perinatal treatments significantly altered renal potassium excretion at rest or after saline load. High sugar intake slightly decreased potassium excretion at rest in TDG and TSG, but only the TDG group displayed a decreased response to saline load. The present data indicates that perinatal taurine exposure only mildly influences renal potassium excretion in adult male and female rats

Cost Analysis of Physical Therapy Clinic In Thailand: The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify the financial burden and compare the unit costs that Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) imposed on a physical therapy clinic that are one of the primary forms of healthcare facilities in Thailand.Design and Setting: The study was a retrospective study conducted at the physical therapy clinic, Khon Kaen University Community Outreach Center (KKUCOMOC) in Thailand. To assess the impact of the outbreak, the service unit was divided into two units: physical therapy (PT) and Thai massage (TM), and the annual report for the 2019-2021 fiscal year was analyzed as representative of before and during an outbreak. The study tool was the Handbook of Unit Cost Analysis from the Office of the Permanent Secretary. Revenue, expenses, and the number of patient visits were all gathered. The data was then analyzed and summarized using Microsoft Excel programs, and descriptive statistics were presented. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic not only reduced the number of patient visits but also the revenue. During the pandemic, the percentage of expense to the facility’s revenue increased in both units. Labor, material, and capital costs were the major cost components, with labor costs accounting for the majority of direct costs. The first emerged in the 2020 fiscal year, resulting in an increase in PT's and TM's unit costs of 26.66% ($US10.24 to$US12.97) and 22.69% ($US6.92 to$US8.49), respectively. Following that, it continued to rise in both units throughout the subsequent fiscal year. As a result, at the end of the study, the unit costs of PT and TM were $US13.95 and$US9.22 respectively. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of patient visits and revenue. Furthermore, it raised the unit cost of PT and TM to $US13.95 and$US9.22 respectively