Hemodynamic studies in a parabiotic model of portal hypertension

Splanchnic and systemic hemodynamic studies were performed in a rat model of parabiosis and portal hypertension. A portal hypertensive and a normal rat were surgically united side to side. A hyperdynamic circulation, characterized by increased cardiac index (413 +/- 26 vs 318 +/- 23 ml X min-1 X kg-1; p less than 0.05) and portal venous inflow (9.61 +/- 1.29 vs 6.33 +/- 0.36 ml X min-1 X 100 g b.wt-1; p less than 0.05), was found in all the portal hypertensive rats but not in the normal parabiotic partners. These results do not support the existence of a transferable humoral factor mediating the hyperdynamic circulatory state of chronic portal hypertension.     

Hemodynamic studies in the circle of willis in the rat

Résumé Les changements de tension artérielle dans l'artère linguale des Rats ont été mesurés après l'occlusion des artères carotidiennes et vertébrales. Les données obtenues nous font supposer que les artères vertébrales sont en grande partie responsables du maintient de la tension artérielle dans le cerveau.     

Smooth muscle in the hepatic artery,portal vein and hepatic vein within the liver of the raccoon and guinea pig

Summary The amount and arrangement of smooth muscle in the intrahepatic vessels suggests that the guinea pig would be a good animal model for studying mechanisms controlling intrahepatic portal vein blood flow, while the raccoon would be good for studying hepatic vein mechanisms of control.     

A model of a cerebral tumour for studies in cancer chemotherapy

Riassunto Si descrive una semplice e rapida tecnica per trapiantare tumori sperimentali nel cervello di ratto, in modo non traumatizzante. Tra i tumori saggiati, l'epitelioma T₈ uterino di Guèrin, si sviluppa nella totalità dei casi, con maggior rapidità rispetto ad altri tumori (Flexner-Jobling, Walker) ed in un tempo sensibilmente costante. Questo modello sperimentale viene utilizzato per studi di chemioterapia antitumorale.     

Methimazole treatment reduces cardiac hypertrophy and mortality without a concomitant reduction in blood pressure in established Goldblatt two-kidney one clip hypertension

The effects of methimazole, and antithyroid drug, on blood pressure and other parameters were evaluated in the established phase of Goldblatt two-kidney one clip (G2K-1C) hypertension. Methimazole was administered via drinking water for five weeks, starting five weeks after hypertension had been induced. After this period of treatment, similarly high blood pressures were observed in methimazole-treated and non-treated G2K-1C rats, despite the fact that a hypothyroid state had been achieved in methimazole-treated rats. Methimazole-treated G2K-1C rats showed reductions in heart rate, ventricular weight, ventricular/body weight ratio and mortality in comparison with rats not treated with methimazole. These results clearly demonstrate that hypothyroidism induced by methimazole: a) does not reverse G2K-1C hypertension, but b) improves the rate of survival and c) reduces relative cardiac hypertrophy, possibly by the reduction in cardiac work observed in Goldblatt hypothyroid rats.     

Regulation of sodium and body fluid homeostasis during development: Implications for the pathogenesis of hypertension

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is an important animal model of human essential hypertension. During the first month of life, increased retention of sodium is present in the SHR which appears to be mediated by the renin-angiotensin system. The present review will discuss the role that increased activity of the renin-angiotensin system plays in sodium/body fluid regulation during early development. It is hypothesized that disordered regulation of sodium/body fluid homeostasis during this stage leads to pathological cardiovascular regulation in adulthood. Through an understanding of the relationship between sodium/body fluid balance in the young and cardiovascular function in the adult insights may be gained into both the pathological state of hypertension and the critical role played by early development in shaping homeostatic mechanisms in adulthood.     

Diabetes alters drug metabolism-in vivo studies in a streptozotozin-diabetic rat model

Summary The influence of experimental streptozotozin-induced diabetes on hepatic drug metabolism in vivo has been studied in rats, using¹⁴CO₂-exhalation after¹⁴C-aminopyrine injection. Male diabetic rats showed a decreased (–18%), females an increased (+19%)¹⁴CO₂-exhalation compared to controls, indicating altered hepatic drug metabolism due to diabetes.     

Diabetes alters drug metabolism--in vivo studies in a streptozotozin-diabetic rat model

The influence of experimental streptozotozin-induced diabetes on hepatic drug metabolism in vivo has been studied in rats, using 14CO2-exhalation after 14C-aminopyrine injection. Male diabetic rats showed a decreased (-18%), females an increased (+19%) 14CO2-exhalation compared to controls, indicating altered hepatic drug metabolism due to diabetes.     

Influence of sodium balance on atrial natriuretic factor in rats with one-kidney,one-clip renal hypertension

Summary The influence of sodium intake on the gene expression and circulating levels of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) was investigated in unanesthetized rats with one-kidney, one-clip renal hypertension. After clipping, the rats were maintained for 3 weeks either on a salt-deficient (n=11) or a regular-sodium diet (n=10). Animals which had received the regular-sodium diet exhibited significantly higher ANF mRNA levels in their right and left atria than salt-restricted animals, whereas there was no significant difference in plasma ANF levels.     

Comparative studies on the covalent binding of the carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene to DNA in various model systems

Summary The covalent binding of tritiated benzo(a) pyrene (BP) to DNA has been determined in rat liver in vivo, in rat liver perfused in situ, after incubation of BP with liver single cells, with liver homogenate, with liver microsomes and DNA, with fibroblasts from a rat granuloma pouch, and with 2 cell lines. Liver single cells were found to be a valuable compromise between the most sensitive system (microsomal incubation of BP with DNA) and the biologically most relevant system (in vivo).Presented in part at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Union of Swiss Societies of Experimental Biology, Experientia34, 925 (1978), abstract.Acknowledgment. We thank Dr G. Kistler, Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, for generously supplying the SIRC and VERO cell lines, and Mr P. Manser for the preparation of the granuloma pouch fibroblasts.     

Experimental alveolar echinococcosis. Suitability of a murine model of intrahepatic infection by Echinococcus multilocularis for immunological studies

An experimental model of human alveolar echinococcosis was developed, using intrahepatic injection of E. multilocularis larvae in mice differing by their sensitivity to this parasite; it seems to be suitable for studying the relationship between cell-mediated immunity and a) growth of the parasite, b) development of fibrosis.     

Comparative studies on the covalent binding of the carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene to DNA in various model systems.

The covalent binding of tritiated benzo(a)pyrene (BP) to DNA has been determined in rat liver in vivo, in rat liver perfused in situ, after incubation of BP with liver single cells, with liver homogenate, with liver microsomes and DNA, with fibroblasts from a rat granuloma pouch, and with 2 cell lines. Liver single cells were found to be a valuable compromise between the most sensitive system (microsomal incubation of BP and DNA) and the biologically most relevant system (in vivo).     

Prediction in a duration model

Predictors of mean duration and an arbitrary quantile are given for the Weibull regression model for duration data. Associated prediction variances arising from maximum likelihood and least squares estimation are given. In an empirical example, based on duration of employment data, the uses of various model diagnostics and the predictors are illustrated.     

Renal effects of a high unsaturated fat diet in renal artery stenosis in rats

The renal effects of an unsaturated fat (UNSAT) diet in mild to moderate two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) renovascular hypertension were evaluated. An UNSAT diet (37% by energy) prevented the development of hypertension compared to 2K1C rats fed a high saturated fat (SAT) (37% by energy) and a normal fat (CONTROL) (11% by energy) diet. Urinary sodium and fractional sodium excretion increased in 2K1C rats as compared to SHAM operated controls, regardless of the diet received. In the early weeks of the experiment (weeks 2–4 post-surgery to induce hypertension), an enhanced natriuresis occurred in the 2K1C UNSAT as compared to the 2K1C CONTROL and SAT diet groups. This resulted from an increase in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR in mls·min^–1) as measured using the single-injection [⁵¹Cr] EDTA method (2K1C UNSAT; 1.99±0.18 versus 2K1C SAT; 1.27±0.09, p<0.02; and versus SHAM CONTROL; 1.45×0.01; p<0.02). The increased GFR was not associated with alterations in effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) as measured using the single-injection [¹²⁵I] Na hippurate method. No differences in sodium excretion; GFR; ERPF or renal blood flow (microsphere technique) were noted between the 2K1C UNSAT and SAT diet groups at weeks 6–8 post-surgery, despite a continued antihypertensive effect of the UNSAT diet. Hence, the antihypertensive effect of an unsaturated fat diet in 2K1C renovascular hypertension in rats is associated with transient glomerular changes leading to an enhanced natriuresis.     

Effects of kallidinogenase on urinary kallikrein excretion and plasma prostanoid concentrations in patients with essential hypertension

Summary The effects of kallidinogenase on urinary kallikrein excretion, plasma immunoreactive prostanoids and platelet aggregation were investigated in patients with essential hypertension. Urinary kallikrein excretion and plasma 6-keto PGF₁ concentration were significantly decreased in these patients. Significant decreases in blood pressure, as well as significant increases of urinary kallikrein excretion and plasma 6-keto PGF₁ concentration after kallidinogenase administration were also observed.     

Conditional volatility forecasting in a dynamic hedging model

This paper addresses several questions surrounding volatility forecasting and its use in the estimation of optimal hedging ratios. Specifically: Are there economic gains by nesting time‐series econometric models (GARCH) and dynamic programming models (therefore forecasting volatility several periods out) in the estimation of hedging ratios whilst accounting for volatility in the futures bid–ask spread? Are the forecasted hedging ratios (and wealth generated) from the nested bid–ask model statistically and economically different than standard approaches? Are there times when a trader following a basic model that does not forecast outperforms a trader using the nested bid–ask model? On all counts the results are encouraging—a trader that accounts for the bid–ask spread and forecasts volatility several periods in the nested model will incur lower transactions costs and gain significantly when the market suddenly and abruptly turns. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution of intravenously administered acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors in the mouse

Summary Iodinated acidic or basic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF or bFGF) were separately injected into adult mice to follow their distribution in the main organs of the animals. Iodinated FGFs intravenously injected into mice cleared from blood with aT _1/2 of 30 s. They mainly bound to kidney, liver and spleen. The binding of FGFs to these organs was maintained when the latter were washed with a physiological buffer containing 0.15 M NaCl, but it was eliminated when the buffer contained 2 M NaCl. Simultaneous injections of the FGFs together with increasing doses of heparin weakened the binding of FGF to vessels in a dose-dependent manner.