bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Electrocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy: Influence of body build
Authors: McLenachan James M. , Henderson Esther , Morris Karen I. , Dargie Henry J. 
Published: August 2015

1. The sensitivity and specificity of four sets of electrocardiographic criteria for detection of left ventricular hypertrophy were evaluated in an echocardiographic study of 100 hypertensive patients.
2. All criteria gave reasonable specificity (87–94%) but poor sensitivity (39–52%).
3. When non-obese and obese patients were studied separately, criteria based on chest lead voltages were more sensitive than limb lead criteria for detection of left ventricular hypertrophy in non-obese subjects; however, the reverse was true in obese hypertensive patients, where criteria based on limb lead voltages were more sensitive than chest lead voltage criteria.
4. These data suggest that stratification of subjects by body build might improve the diagnostic performance of the electrocardiogram for detection of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Evidence for lipid-associated serine proteases and metalloproteases in human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
Authors: Burnett David , Afford Simon C. , Campbell Edward J. , Rios-Mollineda Raul A. , Buttle David J. , Stockley Robert A. 
Published: August 2015

1. We have investigated the nature of elastase activity in bronchoalveolar lavage samples from healthy cigarette smokers and subjects with emphysema.
2. Initial experiments with pure human leucocyte elastase showed this enzyme to be inhibited by high concentrations (&gt; 10 mmol/l) of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, indicating that results of previous studies of ‘metalloelastase’ activity in bronchoalveolar lavage were ambiguous.
3. We have nevertheless demonstrated the presence in bronchoalveolar lavage of an elastase with the characteristics of a metalloproteinase, although samples also contained a substantial amount of activity that was sensitive to serine proteinase inhibitors.
4. Fractionation of lavage fluid supernatant by size-exclusion chromatography demonstrated most of the elastase activity to be of molecular mass &gt; 300 kDa. Treatment of samples with lipase or detergent caused a reduction in metalloelastase activity and the generation of lower-molecular-mass components (90–100 kDa and 40 kDa) which were predominantly serine elastases. This suggested that the enzymes were associated with lipid.
A prospective controlled trial of topical irrigation in the treatment of delayed cutaneous healing in human leg ulcers
Authors: Bulstrode C. J. K. , Goode A. W. , Scott P. J. 
Published: August 2015

1. Topical irrigation with normal saline is known to produce rapid healing in chronic leg ulcers. This study was designed to determine if the rate of healing could be improved by the addition of topical nutrition to the irrigating solution.
2. Forty-eight patients with chronic leg ulcers were admitted to hospital for a minimum of 6 weeks bed-rest. During this time the ulcers were continuously irrigated by one of four test solutions. The solutions were: normal saline; a dilute amino acid solution isotonic with the normal saline; a hyperosmolar saline solution; a hyperosmolar amino acid solution. There were 12 ulcers in each group.
3. The amino acid solutions produced significantly faster healing than the saline solutions (P &lt; 0.01). Concentration had no significant effect on healing (P &gt; 0.15).
4. The application of amino acids does appear to enhance healing in this model of delayed wound healing. This effect does not depend only on the osmolarity of the solution used.
Magnesium aspartate hydrochloride attenuates monocrotaline-induced pulmonary artery hypertension in rats
Authors: Mathew R. , Gloster E. S. , Altura B. T. , Altura B. M. 
Published: August 2015

1. The effect of oral magnesium aspartate hydrochloride on monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension was evaluated in rats.
2. A single subcutaneous injection of MCT, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid of plant origin, induces significant morphological changes in pulmonary vessels, pulmonary arterial hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy in rats by 3 weeks.
3. Two groups of rats (Mg2+ control and Mg2+ + MCT) were started on oral Mg2+ (15.4 g/l magnesium aspartate hydrochloride dissolved in deionized water) 2 weeks before the MCT injection. The rest were given deionized water. At the start of the experiment, the control groups (deionized water and Mg2+) were given normal saline subcutaneously; the other groups (deionized water and Mg2+) were given MCT (60 mg/kg) subcutaneously.
4. Pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, lung pathology, organ weights and serum electrolytes were assessed 3 weeks after a single subcutaneous injection of MCT. Seventy-five per cent of the rats treated with MCT and oral Mg2+ (12 out of 16) showed significant reduction in pulmonary arterial hypertension, arterial pathology and right ventricular hypertrophy.
5. Our data indicate that Mg2+ attenuates experimentally induced pulmonary hypertension, possibly either by modulating the intracellular Ca2+ level and/or by directly affecting the pulmonary endothelial cell–smooth muscle cell complex involved in metabolism and maintenance of pulmonary vascular resistance.
Platelet intracellular free calcium concentration in normotensive and hypertensive pregnancies in the human
Authors: Barr S. M. , Lees K. R. , Butters L. , O'Donnell A. , Rubin P. C. 
Published: August 2015

1. Basal and stimulated platelet intracellular free calcium concentrations were measured in non-pregnant women and in third trimester patients who were either normotensive or who had pregnancy-induced hypertension or pre-eclampsia. There were 15 subjects in each group.
2. A trend for a reduction of the maximal response of platelet calcium levels to stimulation by 5-hydroxytryptamine was seen in pregnant groups compared with nonpregnant subjects, but this was significant only in pre-eclampsia.
3. No significant differences in basal or adenosine 5′-pyrophosphate-stimulated levels of platelet intracellular free calcium concentration were observed between the four groups.
4. These results illustrate that basal platelet calcium levels are unchanged in hypertension of pregnancy. Alterations in basal platelet calcium levels may not be involved in the platelet activation that is a feature of pre-eclampsia.
Effects of an olive-oil-rich diet on erythrocyte membrane lipid composition and cation transport systems
Authors: Pagnan Antonio , Corrocher Roberto , Ambrosio Giovanni B. , Ferrari Silvana , Guarini Patrizia , Piccolo Diana , Opportuno Aldo , Bassi Antonella , Olivieri Oliviero , Baggio Giovannella 
Published: August 2015

1. In this study we sought to test the possibility that an olive-oil-rich diet might influence the membrane lipid composition and cation transport mechanisms in erythrocytes.
2. To this end, 11 normotensive normolipidaemic healthy volunteers were given a standard relatively low fat diet (28% of total energy) for 3 weeks, followed by a high fat (38% of total energy), olive-oil (100 g/day)-enriched diet for the 3 subsequent weeks, in a metabolic ward. The two diets contained the same amount of cholesterol (400 mg), and the polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio was similar and comparatively low (0.35 on the standard vs 0.36 on the olive oil diet).
3. At the end of the study the lipid composition of the erythrocyte membranes showed the following changes: the oleic acid content increased by 15.7% and the amount of saturated fatty acid decreased by 3.2%. The polyunsaturated fatty acid content tended to decrease, while the polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio did not change significantly. The cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio increased significantly by 7.8%, still remaining within the reference range.
4. At the same time, the mean values of the maximum rates of the cation fluxes mediated by the Na+-K+ pump, and by Na+-K+ co-transport rose significantly, while the maximal rate of Na+-Li+ countertransport showed a non-significant trend towards lower values.
5. Urinary excretion of Na+ and K+, body weight and blood pressure did not change significantly.
A method of quantifying sinus arrhythmia: parallel effect of respiration on P-P and P-R intervals
Authors: Rawles J. M. , Pai G. R. , Reid Susan R. 
Published: August 2015

1. The electrocardiogram was recorded for 3 min during spontaneous respiration in 70 subjects aged 15–86 years who were in sinus rhythm. Using a signal-averaging approach, the presence of respiratory variation of P-P intervals was analysed by multiple regression against a cosine function (cosinor analysis).
2. By cosinor analysis the phase of respiration when the intervals were longest was determined, together with the amplitude of the variation of the intervals around their mean value.
3. Respiratory variation of P-P intervals (respiratory sinus arrhythmia) was demonstrated in 84% of subjects; its amplitude decreased with age and respiratory rate. On average, the duration of P-P intervals varied by 2.8% around the mean, and the maximum duration occurred around the time of end-expiration.
4. By cosinor analysis, and allowing for variation of heart rate, P-R intervals showed an independent respiratory variation in 39% of cases, and its average amplitude was 1.2% around the mean.
5. The respiratory variation of P-R and P-P intervals showed similar phase relationships to respiration, suggesting that during respiration there is parallel alteration of sinoatrial and atrioventricular node function.
Effect of passive muscle stretching in osteoarthritis of the hip
Authors: Leivseth Gunnar , Torstensson Johnas , Reikerås Olav 
Published: August 2015

1. Twenty-five minute daily muscle stretching, perpendicular to the fibre direction of the adductor muscles without movement of the hip, was performed in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip.
2. Before and after treatment hip abduction was measured and muscle biopsies were taken for analysis of fibre cross-sectional areas of type 1 and type 2 fibres as well as adenosine 5′-triphosphate, creatine phosphate and glycogen contents.
3. From the results it is concluded that passive muscle stretching leads to a significant increase in hip abduction of 8.3° (P &lt; 0.05). There was also a significant increase of type 1 and type 2 fibre cross-sectional area and of glycogen content after the treatment period (P &lt; 0.05), but the concentrations of adenosine 5′-triphosphate and creatine phosphate did not change significantly.
Attenuation of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats by pretreatment with chloroquine
Authors: Asamoah Kojo A. , Furman Brian L. , Robb Donald A. 
Published: August 2015

1. The effect of chronic administration of chloroquine on glucose homoeostasis was investigated in normal and diabetic rats by determining fasting plasma glucose, glycated plasma protein, plasma immunoreactive insulin, plasma protein and glycated haemoglobin. Animal weights, as well as the survival of the diabetic animals without insulin therapy, were also observed.
2. Apart from an elevation in the plasma immunoreactive insulin levels (4.1 ± 0.6 vs 2.1 ± 0.4 μg/l, P &lt; 0.025), there were no significant differences among the other parameters compared with age-matched controls up to week 12 for the normal rats on chloroquine treatment. After 20 weeks of treatment, however, plasma glucose (7.2 ± 0.1 vs 8.4 ± 0.2 mmol/l, P &lt; 0.005) and glycated haemoglobin (2.9 ± 0.1 vs 3.3 ± 0.1%, P &lt; 0.01) levels were lower in the treated animals. Diabetic rats treated with chloroquine for 12 weeks before the onset of diabetes showed significantly higher plasma insulin and protein levels than control diabetic animals, while plasma glucose (17.7 ± 2.5 vs 29.4 ± 1.7 mmol/l, P &lt; 0.005), glycated plasma protein and glycated haemoglobin (6.6 ± 0.4 vs 7.8 ± 0.4%, P &lt; 0.05) levels were lower.
3. It is concluded that after a prolonged administration of chloroquine there is a hypoglycaemic effect in normal animals, and pretreatment with the drug ameliorates diabetes induced subsequently.
Endogenous digoxin-like immunoreactivity and erythrocyte sodium transport in uraemic patients undergoing dialysis
Authors: Bosch Ricardo J. , Hernando Natividad , Casado Santos , Lopez-Novoa José M. 
Published: August 2015

1. Erythrocyte Na+ transport (Na+ pump activity, co-transport, countertransport and passive Na+ efflux) and intracellular Na+ concentration were studied in 10 normal individuals and in 29 uraemic patients on chronic haemodialysis, before and after a haemodialysis session. Eight of them fulfilled the criteria of hypertension.
2. Normotensive patients before haemodialysis were classified in two groups: group 1 (pump –) with decreased erythrocyte Na+ pump activity, and group 2 (normal pump) with normal erythrocyte Na+ pump activity. Group 1 showed, compared with controls, a normal intracellular Na+ concentration and a decreased co-transport, but no difference in either countertransport or passive Na+ efflux. After haemodialysis this difference disappeared. Before haemodialysis, group 2 showed a high intracellular Na+ concentration, but activities of the Na+ transport systems studied were similar to those of controls. After haemodialysis, cell Na+ concentration decreased to a level not significantly different from that of controls.
3. Both before and after haemodialysis, hypertensive patients showed Na+ transport system activities and an intracellular Na+ concentration similar to those of controls.
4. Endogenous digoxin-like immunoreactivity (EDLI) and erythrocyte Na+ transport were studied in five normotensive and five hypertensive patients, before and after haemodialysis. EDLI in plasma was similar in both groups before and after haemodialysis. No correlation was found between EDLI and erythrocyte Na+ pump activity.
5. These results suggest the existence in some dialysed uraemic patients of alterations in erythrocyte Na+ fluxes, which may be corrected by haemodialysis. EDLI and erythrocyte Na+ fluxes do not seem to be markers of secondary hypertension in these patients.
Metabolic effects of intravenous medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols in critically ill patients
Authors: Ball M. J. , White K. 
Published: August 2015

1. The metabolic effects of an intravenous lipid emulsion containing medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT) and long-chain triacylglycerols (LCT) were studied in 16 critically ill, ventilated patients. The effects were compared in a cross-over study with those of a conventional emulsion containing only LCT.
2. The lipid was well tolerated but the metabolic effects of the MCT/LCT infusion differed from those of the LCT infusion.
3. The major differences were a 60% higher insulin concentration and a significantly greater increase in the plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids during MCT/LCT infusion than during LCT infusion. The mean rise in plasma ketone concentration was also higher during MTC/LCT infusion, although this did not reach statistical significance.
Study of DNA polymorphisms of the apolipoprotein AI-CIII-AIV gene cluster in patients with peripheral arterial disease
Authors: Monsalve M. V. , Young R. , Wiseman S. A. , Dhamu S. , Powell J. T. , Greenhalgh R. M. , Humphries S. E. 
Published: August 2015

1. We have determined the frequency of DNA polymorphisms of the human apolipoprotein AI-CIII-AIV gene cluster, detected with XmnI, PstI, and PvuII, in a group of patients with peripheral arterial disease.
2. Of the patients, 81 had no evidence of disease in the coronary and carotid arteries, 73 had coronary artery disease but no evidence of carotid artery disease, 25 patients had carotid artery disease but no evidence of coronary artery disease, and 38 had both coronary and carotid artery disease.
3. Levels of triacylglycerol, cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein AI were not significantly different between the four patient groups.
4. The frequencies of the alleles for the apolipoprotein AI-CIII-AIV polymorphisms, detected with XmnI, PstI and PvuII, did not differ significantly in the patient groups when compared with a sample of clinically well normolipidaemic individuals also from a London population.
5. All five patients with the XmnI genotype we designate X2X2 had high levels of cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein AI.
6. Patients with the rare VB2 allele of the apolipoprotein CIII-AIV restriction fragment length polymorphism had lower levels of cholesterol, acylglycerol and significantly lower levels of serum apolipoprotein.
7. Our observations suggest that variation in the apolipoprotein AI-CIII-AIV gene cluster may not be contributing significantly to the development of peripheral arterial disease, but variation associated with some of the restriction fragment length polymorphisms may be involved in determining levels of cholesterol- and apolipoprotein-B-containing lipoproteins.
Absorption and metabolism of cholesterol in familial hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Gylling Helena , Miettinen Tatu A. 
Published: August 2015

1. The present study investigated the role of intestinal cholesterol absorption in the regulation of cholesterol metabolism and serum lipoprotein levels in 22 patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia on low to normal cholesterol intake.
2. The results showed that the higher the dietary cholesterol absorption, the lower was the overall synthesis of cholesterol. Efficient cholesterol absorption actually reduced the elimination of cholesterol as faecal neutral sterols but not consistently as bile acids.
3. In multifactorial analysis, body mass index and dietary plant sterols were negatively associated with cholesterol absorption, but were unrelated to cholesterol synthesis.
4. Fractional cholesterol absorption was related only to the serum very-low-density triacylglycerol level. It was not associated with the total or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. On the other hand, cholesterol synthesis was significantly associated with the serum concentrations of very-low-density lipoprotein and intermediate-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triacylglycerols, and with those of low-density lipoprotein triacylglycerols.
5. In conclusion, dietary cholesterol absorption is an essential regulator of cholesterol homoeostasis in familial hypercholesterolaemia, even in patients on low cholesterol intake.
Inhibition of endogenous oxalate production: biochemical considerations of the roles of glycollate oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase
Authors: Bais Renze , Rofe Allan M. , Conyers Robert A. J. 
Published: August 2015

1. Both the peroxisomal, flavin-linked glycollate oxidase [(S)-2-hydroxy-acid oxidase; EC 1.1.3.15] and the cytosolic, nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-linked lactate dehydrogenase (l-lactate dehydrogenase; EC 1.1.1.27) are thought to contribute to the formation of oxalate from its immediate precursors, glycollate and glyoxylate, but the relative contributions of each enzyme to endogenous oxalate production is not known.
2. In rat liver homogenates, [14C]oxalate production from labelled glycollate is halved and that from labelled glyoxylate is increased fourfold by the addition of either NAD or NADH.
3. In isolated rat hepatocytes, the 3-hydroxy-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione derivatives of glycollate, which are specific inhibitors of glycollate oxidase, have a greater effect on glycollate metabolism than on glyoxylate metabolism.
4. These findings are consistent with an important role for lactate dehydrogenase in oxalate formation from glyoxylate.
5. With human and rat liver homogenates and with purified human liver glycollate oxidase and rabbit muscle lactate dehydrogenase, dl-phenyl-lactate (2 mmol/l) completely inhibits glycollate oxidase but has no effect on lactate dehydrogenase. On the other hand, the reduced form of a chemically synthesized, NAD–pyruvate adduct (1 mmol/l) almost completely inhibited lactate dehydrogenase but had no effect on glycollate oxidase.
6. Either alone or in combination, dl-phenyl-lactate and reduced NAD–pyruvate adduct reduce oxalate production from glycollate and glyoxylate in isolated rat hepatocytes, but do not abolish it completely.
7. These findings support a role for another enzyme, probably glycollate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.99.14), in oxalate production in integrated cell metabolism.
8. In relation to renal oxalate stone disease, these results suggest that the therapeutic inhibition of glycollate oxidase or lactate dehydrogenase would not completely prevent the endogenous formation of oxalate.
Renal kallikrein activity in rats developing spontaneous hypertension
Authors: Praddaude Françoise , Tran-Van Tuan , Ader Jean-Louis 
Published: August 2015

1. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) excrete less kallikrein in urine than Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKY) during the developmental phase of hypertension. The present study was designed to examine whether the urinary defect is related to abnormalities in the renal kallikrein content in this hypertensive model.
2. Active and total kallikrein were measured (amidolytic assay) in the renal cortex of newborn and 4-, 8- and 12-week-old SHR and age-matched WKY. Active and total kallikrein were also measured in urine at the same ages, except at birth.
3. Tissue active kallikrein was significantly lower in SHR at birth, representing on average 53% of the values in WKY expressed as content per total cortex weight. Tissue total kallikrein did not differ between newborn SHR and WKY.
4. SHR at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of age had lower urinary active and total kallikrein excretion. Tissue active kallikrein, but not total kallikrein, was higher than in age-matched WKY per g of cortex weight or per mg of protein, whereas both tissue active and total kallikrein were lower in SHR when expressed as content per total cortex weight. At these three ages, active kallikrein represented, on average 86%, while total kallikrein represented 77%, of the values in age-matched WKY.
5. Our results indicate a defect in prokallikrein activation rather than in kallikrein synthesis in the renal cortex of SHR at birth. The reduction in urinary kallikrein excretion during the developmental phase of hypertension in young SHR is similar to the reduction observed in the renal tissue.
Altered interactions between glycogenesis and lipid synthesis after liver resection: specific effects of liver regeneration, coupled with non-specific effects of surgery
Authors: Holness Mark J. , Schofield Paul S. , Sugden Mary C. 
Published: August 2015

1. This work investigated the relationship between glycogenesis and lipid synthesis during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in the rat.
2. Rates of lipid synthesis were increased during the first 2 post-operative days; these elevated rates were unaffected by starvation. By contrast, glycogen concentrations were decreased even after 8 post-operative days, by which time liver mass had been restored and concentrations were sensitive to nutritional status.
3. The results of experiments involving the intragastric or intraperitoneal administration of glucose indicated that increased lipid synthesis was unlikely to be a consequence of decreased glycogenesis, but that depletion of liver glycogen might be linked both to liver cell division and, in the longer term, surgical stress.