bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of epidermal growth factor and glutamine-supplemented parenteral nutrition on the small bowel of septic rats
Authors: Salleh M. , Ardawi M. 
Published: August 2015

1. The effects of parenteral nutrition with or without glutamine supplementation and epidermal growth factor treatment (0.15 μg/g body weight) was studied in the small bowel of septic rats after 4 days.
2. Septic rats infused with glutamine-supplemented parenteral nutrition with or without epidermal growth factor treatment survived sepsis significantly better than other septic rats given parenteral nutrition. The cumulative percentage of deaths over 4 days in septic rats infused with glutamine-supplemented parenteral nutrition was 20% (without epidermal growth factor) and 15% (with epidermal growth factor) compared with 50% in septic rats treated with parenteral nutrition without glutamine and 35% in septic rats given parenteral nutrition without glutamine but with epidermal growth factor treatment.
3. Glutamine-supplemented parenteral nutrition with or without epidermal growth factor treatment resulted in improved nitrogen balance in septic rats. The cumulative nitrogen balance over the 4 day period was the least negative as compared with other groups of septic rats.
4. Septic rats given parenteral nutrition with glutamine, epidermal growth factor or glutamine and epidermal growth factor exhibited marked increases in intestinal net rates of utilization of glutamine (P &lt; 0.001) and production of ammonia (P &lt; 0.001) compared with septic rats given parenteral nutrition without glutamine and/or epidermal growth factor treatment.
5. Septic rats given parenteral nutrition with glutamine, epidermal growth factor or glutamine and epidermal growth factor exhibited significant increases in jejunal wet weight (by 32.4–40.6%), DNA content (by 24.2–34.7%), protein content (by 29.1–50.0%), villus height (by 16.3–26.4%) and crypt depth (by 20.3–29.6%) compared with other groups of septic rats.
6. The rate of intestinal [3H]thymidine incorporation in vivo and thymidine kinase activity in vitro were significantly increased (P &lt; 0.001) in septic rats given parenteral nutrition with glutamine, epidermal growth factor or glutamine and epidermal growth factor.
7. The activity of jejunal glutamine synthetase was lower (by 66.3–90.0%) in septic rats treated with glutamine, epidermal growth factor or glutamine and epidermal growth factor, whereas glutaminase activity was increased (by 28.1–31.0%) in response to parenteral nutrition supplemented with glutamine only.
8. It is concluded that the administration of glutamine-supplemented parenteral nutrition, with or without epidermal growth factor, is beneficial to the small bowel of septic rats.
Lithium clearance in dogs: effects of water loading, amiloride and lithium dosage
Authors: SHALMI Michael , Laursen Jørn Bech , Plange-RHULE Jacob , Christensen Sten , Atherton John , Bie Peter 
Published: August 2015

1. The influences of lithium dosage, urine flow rate and acute administration of amiloride on the renal handling of lithium in normal conscious dogs were investigated.
2. Lithium was administered in the diet at daily doses of 100 mg or 2 mg of lithium carbonate for the 2 days preceding the investigation. Urine flow rate was altered by water loading with and without arginine vasopressin infusion (5 pg min−1 kg−1). Amiloride was administered as an intravenous bolus (130 μg/kg) followed by a continuous infusion (1.22 μg h−1 kg−1).
3. Glomerular filtration rate (exogenous creatinine clearance) did not change within series and was not different between series; it averaged 3.27 ml min−1 kg−1. Control levels of fractional lithium excretion (12.4 ± 1.2%, mean ± sem) were not influenced by hydration, hydration plus arginine vasopressin administration or the lithium dosage. However, in hydrated dogs having a plasma lithium concentration of 130–140 μmol/l, amiloride administration was associated with a 5% increase in fractional lithium excretion (P 0.01).
4. It is concluded that distal tubular lithium reabsorption may take place in sodium-replete conscious dogs undergoing water diuresis. The low fractional lithium excretion even during amiloride infusion (14.1–16.8%) may well be due to a high fractional reabsorption of lithium in the proximal tubules; however, a significant reabsorption of lithium distal to the proximal straight tubules by amiloride-insensitive pathways cannot be excluded.
Regional differences in the response to platelet-activating factor in rabbit colon
Authors: Travis S. P. L. , Jewell D. P. 
Published: August 2015

1. Platelet-activating factor is an inflammatory mediator related to eicosanoids which is known to stimulate anion secretion in the distal colon. Since there are regional differences in ion transport within the colon, the influence of platelet-activating factors on ion transport and epithelial permeability has been studied in rabbit caecum and distal colon mounted in Ussing chambers.
2. The effect of platelet-activating factor (1–50 nmol/l) on net electrogenic ion transport was to stimulate a biphasic increase in short-circuit current in the distal colon but not in the caecum. The platelet-activating factor-induced rise in short-circuit current was shown by ion replacement and pharmacological inhibitor studies to be consistent with chloride and bicarbonate secretion in the early phase, but with chloride secretion alone in the later phase. The effect on ion transport was specific and reversible and was enhanced by 0.25% BSA.
3. Colonic permeability, assessed by transmucosal resistance and mannitol flux, was increased by platelet-activating factor in both the distal colon and the caecum. This was consistent with an effect on platelet-activating factor on the paracellular pathway, because resistance decreased even when transcellular chloride transport was inhibited by frusemide or ion replacement. A specific platelet-activating factor antagonist (U66985) inhibited the effects of platelet-activating factor in both the distal colon and the caecum.
4. The results show that platelet-activating factor stimulates anion secretion only in the distal colon, but increases permeability in both the caecum and the distal colon.
Influence of dietary protein on glomerular angiotensin II-receptor binding in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Vaughan D. L. , Russell G. I. 
Published: August 2015

1. The binding of angiotensin II to glomerular receptors was studied in spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats in response to 7, 16 and 32% isocaloric, isonatraemic protein diets.
2. Increased dietary protein elevated the systemic angiotensin II levels of both spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats [F0.05(2,26)=4.758, P&lt;0.05; n=36], and this was not associated with changes in either systemic blood pressure or cortical renin activity.
3. Furthermore, no significant changes in the affinity or density of angiotensin II receptors were associated with changes of dietary protein intake in either strain.
4. These results indicate a dissociation between the systemic renin-angiotensin system and the tissue renin -angiotensin system in response to protein intake.
An automated computerized method using Finapres for measuring cardiovascular reflexes
Authors: Netten P. M. , Boots J. M. M. , Bredie S. J. H. , den Arend J. A. C. J. , Mol M. J. T. M. , Thien Th. , Hoefnagels W. H. L. , Lutterman J. A. 
Published: August 2015

1. The major drawback of the cardiovascular reflex tests used to study autonomic failure is the time involved in calculating the results. To overcome this disadvantage, we have developed an automated computerized program using a FINger Arterial PRESsure instrument for the measurement of beat-to-beat heart rate and blood pressure on a finger.
2. This program calculates heart rate variability during three standardized tests, forced breathing, standing up and the Valsalva manoeuvre, and records blood pressure values in response to standing up and sustained handgrip. The time taken to perform the test and to calculate the results is usually 25 min.
3. The reproducibility of the tests in 21 normal subjects was comparable with the reproducibility obtained with conventional test methods using an ECG and a sphygmomanometer.
4. In addition, we determined the age-dependent normal values of the seven test parameters in 124 subjects aged 20–90 years.
5. Using this program in 10 patients with longstanding (14–50 years) complicated diabetes, in each of them four or more abnormal test results were found.
Platelets from patients on haemodialysis show impaired responses to nitric oxide
Authors: Gordge M. P. , Neild G. H. 
Published: August 2015

1. Platelets from patients on haemodialysis showed a loss of sensitivity to nitric oxide, reflected by a reduction in the ability of nitric oxide both to inhibit thrombin-induced aggregation and to increase intraplatelet cyclic GMP levels. Responses of platelets from patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis were slightly, but not significantly, impaired. Platelets from both groups of uraemic patients showed normal sensitivity to the cyclic AMP-dependent inhibitor prostacyclin.
2. Reduced levels of cyclic GMP in response to nitric oxide in platelets from patients on haemodialysis were due to a defect in its generation, rather than to accelerated breakdown.
3. Basal levels of intra-platelet cyclic GMP were significantly increased in both patients on haemodialysis and patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
4. The activity of nitric oxide was more stable in plasma than in buffer; its survival in plasma from patients on haemodialysis was similar to that in plasma from healthy control subjects.
Reversal of extrahepatic membrane cholesterol deposition in patients with chronic liver diseases by S-adenosyl-l-methionine
Authors: Rafique Samina , Guardascione Marianna , Osman Elsir , Burroughs Andrew K. , Owen James S. 
Published: August 2015

1. S-Adenosyl-l-methionine is reported to improve serum liver function tests in chronic liver disease. Because liver disease is complicated by cholesterol deposition in hepatic and extrahepatic membranes, we have assessed whether oral administration of S-adenosyl-l-methionine to patients with hepatic disease can reverse the cholesterol enrichment of their erythrocytes.
2. The mean erythrocyte cholesterol-to-phospholipid molar ratio in 13 jaundiced patients was reduced 2 weeks after oral administration of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (from 0.874 ± 0.112 to 0.844 ± 0.102, P&lt;0.05) with 10 of the patients (77%) showing a decrease. By contrast, only four of 11 untreated patients (36%) had a reduced erythrocyte cholesterol-to-phospholipid molar ratio after 2 weeks and the mean values did not differ.
3. The plasma and erythrocyte cholesterol-to-phospholipid molar ratios remained closely correlated (r = 0.77, P&lt;0.01) before and after treatment, suggesting that S-adenosyl-l-methionine had not acted directly on the cells but rather had improved their lipoprotein milieu. Further support for this concept was provided by following one patient, who initially failed to respond, during an additional 3 weeks of S-adenosyl-l-methionine administration. The plasma cholesterol-to-phospholipid molar ratio fell steadily from week 1 to week 5 and was accompanied by a progressive decrease in the erythrocyte cholesterol-to-phospholipid molar ratio. Moreover, the initially suppressed acetylcholinesterase activity of the erythrocyte membranes returned towards normal during this period.
4. This preliminary study is the first evidence in jaundiced patients that a drug can help to reverse the deposition of cholesterol in an extrahepatic membrane. It merits, therefore, placebo-controlled, crossover investigations into the therapeutic potential of S-adenosyl-l-methionine in chronic liver disease.
Vasopressin and angiotensin II in the conscious dog: synergistic effects on renal excretory parameters?
Authors: Eiken P. , Emmeluth C. , Schütten H. J. , Bie P. 
Published: August 2015

1. The renal effects of angiotensin II were investigated (a) with and without acute blockade of the effects of aldosterone and (b) with and without concomitant infusion of vasopressin. Angiotensin II (2 ng min−1 kg−1) and/or vasopressin (5 pg min−1 kg−1) was infused intravenously into conscious water-diuretic dogs and the effects were quantified by measurements of renal excretion of water, Na+ and K+, as well as determination of plasma renin activity and plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide and catecholamines.
2. Angiotensin II alone increased blood pressure by 7% (P&lt;0.05), decreased effective renal blood flow markedly and reduced urine flow and osmolar and free water clearances. Na+ and K+ excretion did not change significantly. Aldosterone blockade with canrenoate increased Na+ excretion by a factor of 10; subsequent infusion of angiotensin II decreased Na+ excretion by about 50%, the other renal effects being qualitatively similar to those seen without blockade. As expected, vasopressin also decreased diuresis and free water clearance substantially; however, the effect of combined infusion of angiotensin II and vasopressin was not compatible with the notion of additive effects of the two peptides.
3. Angiotensin II alone or in combination with vasopressin did not change the plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide, adrenaline, noradrenaline, or dopamine. Vasopressin alone exerted its antidiuretic effect without affecting plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone concentration or renal excretion of Na+ and K+.
4. It is concluded that the antinatriuretic effect of angiotensin II is markedly dependent on the preexisting rate of Na+ excretion and that it is not possible to detect a persisting antidiuretic effect of angiotensin II in conjunction with the antidiuretic action of a moderate dose of vasopressin.
Platelet-activating factor causes hypoketonaemia in starved rats
Authors: Hiraide Atsushi , Evans Rhys D. , Williamson Dermot H. 
Published: August 2015

1. The aim of this work was to examine whether platelet-activating factor could mimic the hypoketonaemia seen in septic and endotoxic experimental animals. Platelet-activating factor was administered either by the intraperitoneal (high dose) or intravenous (jugular vein, low dose) routes.
2. Intraperitoneal injection of platelet-activating factor (25 μg/kg body weight) decreased the blood ketone body concentration (acetoacetate plus 3-hydroxybutyrate) transiently (30 min after injection) in starved rats. Continuous intravenous infusion of platelet-activating factor (40 ng min−1 kg−1 for 5 h) caused comparable hypoketonaemia.
3. The hepatic acetoacetate concentration also decreased transiently after injection of platelet-activating factor and there was an increase in the 3-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio. The hepatic ATP concentration decreased at 15 and 30 min after injection of platelet-activating factor. Infusion of platelet-activating factor caused a similar decrease in hepatic ketone body concentration, but no significant change in the 3-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio or adenine nucleotide concentrations.
4. Platelet-activating factor administered by infusion, but not by injection, decreased the plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentration. The plasma glycerol concentration also decreased after infusion of platelet-activating factor, suggesting decreased lipolysis in adipose tissue.
5. Changes in plasma insulin concentration or white adipose tissue blood flow did not appear to contribute to the decrease in the plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentration after infusion of platelet-activating factor. However, there was a significant decrease in blood flow to interscapular brown adipose tissue in both the infused and injected groups.
6. These findings suggest that infusion of platelet-activating factor causes a decrease in ketone bodies by limiting the supply of non-esterified fatty acids to the liver, and that the transient hypoketonaemia seen with intraperitoneal injection may possibly be due to decreased oxidation of non-esterified fatty acids secondary to hepatic vasoconstriction.
Elevated levels of brain natriuretic peptide in acute hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Lang Chim C. , Coutie Wendy J. , Struthers Allan D. , Dhillon D. Paul , Winter John H. , Lipworth Brian J. 
Published: August 2015

1. Studies in vitro have recently shown that both atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide have pulmonary vasorelaxant activity. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate for the first time whether plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide are elevated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide were therefore measured in 12 patients admitted with acute hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [arterial partial pressure of O2, 6.2 ± 0.4 kPa; arterial partial pressure of CO2, 6.9 ± 0.1 kPa; forced expiratory volume in 1 s, 0.6 ± 0.07 litre (27 ± 3% of predicted)]. All but three patients had oedema on admission.
2. Plasma levels of both brain natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide were elevated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (31.4 ± 4.1 pmol/l and 45.0 ± 8.1 pmol/l, respectively) compared with healthy control subjects (1.7 ± 0.8 pmol/l and 8.0 ± 3.5 pmol/l, respectively). Thus, plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were increased by 18.5- and 5.6-fold respectively compared with healthy control subjects.
3. There was a significant inverse correlation between the plasma level of brain natriuretic peptide and the arterial partial pressure of O2 (r = −0.65, r2 = 0.42, P = 0.03), but not between the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level and the arterial partial pressure of O2 (r2 = 0.07, not significant). The arterial partial pressure of CO2 did not correlate with the plasma level of either brain natriuretic peptide or atrial natriuretic peptide.
4. Thus, plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide were proportionately higher than those of atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Unlike those of atrial natriuretic peptide, plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide were correlated with the degree of hypoxaemia. Further studies are required to investigate the release and clearance of brain natriuretic peptide in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as its pulmonary vasodilator activity in vivo.
Metabolic clearance rate of arginine vasopressin in severe chronic renal failure
Authors: Argent Nicholas B. , Wilkinson Robert , Baylis Peter H. 
Published: August 2015

1. The metabolic clearance rate of arginine vasopressin was determined using a constant infusion technique in normal subjects and patients with chronic renal failure immediately before commencing dialysis. Endogenous arginine vasopressin was suppressed in all subjects before the infusion with a water load.
2. Plasma arginine vasopressin concentrations were determined using a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay after Florisil extraction. The detection limit of the assay was 0.3 pmol/l, and intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation at 2 pmol/l were 9.7% and 15.3%, respectively.
3. In normal subjects, the metabolic clearance rate was determined at two infusion rates producing steady-state concentrations of arginine vasopressin of 1.3 and 4.4 pmol/l. In the patients with renal failure, a single infusion rate was used, producing a steady-state concentration of 1.5 pmol/l.
4. At comparable plasma arginine vasopressin concentrations, metabolic clearance rate was significantly reduced in patients with renal failure (normal 1168 ± 235 ml/min versus renal failure 584 ± 169 ml/min; means ± sd; P&lt;0.001).
5. Free water clearance was significantly reduced in normal subjects during the arginine vasopressin infusion from 8.19 ± 2.61 to −1.41 ± 0.51 ml/min (P&lt;0.001), but was unchanged in the patients with renal failure after attaining comparable plasma arginine vasopressin concentrations.
6. In normal subjects there was a small but significant fall in metabolic clearance rate at the higher steady-state arginine vasopressin concentration (1168 ± 235 ml/min at 1.3 pmol/l versus 1059 ± 269 ml/min at 4.4 pmol/l; P = 0.016).
7. Our results show that the metabolic clearance rate of arginine vasopressin is reduced by approximately 50% in severe chronic renal failure. This alone may account for the raised plasma concentrations of the hormone seen in this condition.
Weight loss normalizes the inhibitory effect of N6-(phenylisopropyl)adenosine on lipolysis in fat cells of massively obese human subjects
Authors: Ohisalo Jorma J. , Kaartinen Johanna M. , Ranta Susanna , Mustajoki Pertti , Hreniuk Stanely P. , LaNoue Kathryn F. , Martin Louis F. 
Published: August 2015

1. Fat cells were isolated from massively obese patients at or before gastric bypass, from other patients after normalization of body weight after gastric bypass or gastroplasty (post-bypass patients) and from control subjects of a stable normal body weight.
2. The inhibition of isoprenaline-stimulated lipolysis by N6-(phenylisopropyl)adenosine in the presence of adenosine deaminase was much attenuated in cells from the massively obese patients as compared with those from normal-weight control subjects, but was normal in cells from post-bypass patients.
3. Isolated fat cells of the massively obese patients were larger (913 ± 197 pl, mean ± sem) than those of the normal-weight group (437 ± 95 pl). The volume of cells from the post-bypass patients was only 125 ± 49 pl, although the body mass index of this group was almost exactly the same as that of the normal-weight control subjects.
4. Although epidemiological studies have suggested that genetic factors are important in the development and maintenance of obesity, these results demonstrate that the changes observed in the inhibitory regulation of lipolysis in obesity are secondary.