Secretory oedema in diabetic submandibular glands during parasympathetic nerve stimulation: Relationship to microvascular abnormalities in streptozotocin-treated rats

• 1.1. Submandibular secretion during parasympathetic stimulation (5 Hz) was examined in streptozotocin-diabetic and age-matched control rats.
• 2.2. At 3 weeks, but not 3 and 6 months, flow rate was initially greater than in controls, but it declined rapidly after 30 min.
• 3.3. The reduction in flow rate was associated with oedema of the gLond.
• 4.4. At 3 months, graded stimulation revealed a tendency to oedema at frequencies of 10 Hz and above.
• 5.5. Morphologically, submandibular capillary density was increased in diabetic rats.
• 6.6. Thus, in diabetes the submandibular gland appears less able to withstand continuous parasympathetic stimulation, due in part to an increase in tissue capillary area.

     

Seasonal changes of total lipids in the turtle Sternotherus odoratus

• 1.1. Seasonal variation in total lipids was examined in several body components of the turtle Sternotherus odoratus.
• 2.2. Carcass fat stores in both sexes were depleted during winter. Additionally, a decline in carcass lipids was associated with increases in gonadal mass.
• 3.3. Concentrations of liver lipids were maximal during August and minimal during winter.
• 4.4. Males showed little seasonal change in plasma lipid levels, whereas females had seasonal peaks temporally associated with ovarian development and carcass fat storage.
• 5.5. Ovarian concentrations of lipids were minimal after nesting and increased during fall.
• 6.6. Results suggest that S. odoratus uses stored fats both for reproduction and maintenance during winter.

     

Bile and pancreatic secretion in chickens: the effects of bile salts,feeding and acid

• 1.1. Bile production decreased after bile diversion, but increased when bile was returned to the duodenum, and during i.v. infusion of chenodeoxycholic and of taurocholic acid. In chickens, unlike rabbits, rats and guinea pigs, only a small fraction of bile flow was apparently independent of bile salt secretion.
• 2.2. The flow of bile and pancreatic juice increased when chickens were fed, but did not change after i.v. porcine secretin. Infusion of acid to the duodenum had no effect on bile flow, but pancreatic juice flow increased.
• 3.3. Feeding was not associated with any secretin-like response in bile flow in chickens, and the increases in bile flow which occurred after feeding were attributed to contraction of the gall bladder.

     

Epidermal growth factor alters the electrolyte profile of lactating ewes Ovis aries

• 1.1. Lactating ewes were treated with mouse epidermal growth factor (EGF) at a dose rate of 0.5 mg/day for 4 days and its effects on the electrolyte profile were observed.
• 2.2. There was no effect of EGF on plasma concentrations of sodium or potassium, although urinary and total (in urine and milk) losses of both were reduced.
• 3.3. EGF-induced hypocalcaemia was associated with reduced milk calcium secretion and increased urinary calcium excretion whereas EGF-induced hypermagnesaemia was associated with reduced urinary and total magnesium losses.
• 4.4. Glomerular filtration rate was reduced during EGF infusion.
• 5.5. Chronic intravenous EGF infusion affects the electrolyte profile by altering electrolyte secretion by the mammary gland and renal electrolyte excretion.

     

Effect of angiotensin II on vascular resistance in whole-body perfused dogfish

• 1.1. The effect of angiotensin II (AII), norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E) and isoproterenol (ISO) was observed on the branchial and systemic circulations in a whole-body-pump perfused dogfish preparation.
• 2.2. NE and E increased systemic blood flow resistance, but decreased branchial resistance.
• 3.3. ISO decreased both systematic and branchial blood flow resistance.
• 4.4. AII had no significant effect on either branchial or systemic resistance.

     

Blood flow resistance in Squalus acanthias

• 1.1. The resistances to blood flow in the gill and systemic circulations of Squalus acanthias were calculated from data derived from pump-perfused preparations.
• 2.2. At the same flow rate, gill blood flow resistance is about one half that found in the systemic circuit.
• 3.3. Both gill and systemic circulatory beds exhibit decreased resistance with increased flow rates.
• 4.4.The increase in gill resistance observed in dogfish during hypoxia can be explained by the fact that gill resistance increases passively with the decreased flow rates which are characteristic of this condition.
• 5.5. It appears that the circulation of the dogfish reacts passively to changes in cardiac output and is devoid of any means of selectively distributing cardiac output except, possibly, by autoregulation induced in active tissues by local mechanical or metabolic events.

     

Regulation of excretion of copper in bile of sheep: Effect of anaesthesia and surgery

• 1.1. Copper excretion in bile increased up to 20 times in sheep operated on under halothane or thiopentone anaesthesia.
• 2.2. The enterohepatic circulation of bile salts had no significant effect on the output of copper in bile.
• 3.3. The concentration of copper in the liver did not influence either the copper concentration in bile or the post-operative increment in copper output in bile.
• 4.4. Intravenous injection of hydrocortisone did not affect bile flow, but increased biliary copper excretion in conscious sheep.
• 5.5. It was concluded that corticosteroids released in response to anaesthesia and surgery may have promoted excretion of copper in bile.

     

Skin blood flow in the Wistar-Kyoto rat and the spontaneously hypertensive rat

• 1.1. Using laser Doppler techniques in man, we have previously demonstrated differences in skin blood flow properties at sites with primarily nutritive (NUTR) perfusion, such as the elbow or knee, as compared to sites such as the finger pulp, with predominantly arteriovenous anastomotic (AVA) perfusion.
• 2.2. Basal and heat stimulated flow is greater at AVA sites. In man, blood pressure changes are reflected primarily by changes at AVA rather than NUTR sites.
• 3.3. These blood pressure induced changes affect the red blood cell velocity (VEL) component at AVA sites more than microvascular volume (VOL).
• 4.4. Given these findings in man, we decided to compare skin blood flow properties in a suitable animal model.
• 5.5. We chose the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) strains, in view of the marked difference in systemic blood pressure in these two related strains.
• 6.6. Skin blood flow varied considerably at different skin sites in the rats. Skin sites with hair covering, on the back and at the base of the tail, showed low basal and heat stimulated blood flow.
• 7.7. In contrast, the plantar surface of the paw behaved similarly to the finger or toe pulps in man, with 3–4-fold higher basal flow than the hair covered areas and a 7–8-fold rise with local heating to 44°C.
• 8.8. Furthermore, there was a 25% greater blood flow at the plantar paw surface in the SHR rats as compared to the WKY rats, corresponding to the 25% higher systemic blood pressure in these animals.
• 9.9. The heat induced increase in flow at the plantar surface of the paw was primarily a result of a marked increase in VEL rather than VOL.
• 10.10. The higher flow at this site in SHR as compared to WKY rats was likewise ascribable to an increase in VEL, VOL being equivalent in the two strains.

     

Accumulation,distribution and toxicity of selenium in the adult house fly,Musca domestica

• 1.1. Accumulation and distribution of dietary Se in relation to mortality was investigated in adult house flies.
• 2.2. The midgut preferentially accumulated Se and thereby limited toxicity.
• 3.3. Midgut Se concentrations were from 6- to 107-fold higher than in carcass, and from 15 to 71% of the total Se was associated with midgut.
• 4.4. When dietary levels of Se were raised the midgut saturated at 15 μg Se/g tissue, followed by a rise in carcass levels to greater than 0.5 μg Se/g tissue and increased mortality.
• 5.5. Se levels in lysosomal fractions were from 3- to 50-fold higher than in other subcellular fractions, suggesting that Se is sequestered in lysosomes.
• 6.6. Se added to drinking water was toxic at 4–8 ppm.

     

Measurement of blood flow in the skin and oral mucosa of the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) using laser doppler flowmetry

• 1.1. It is generally assumed that oral blood flow is higher than that of skin, and invasive methods to measure blood flow support this view.
• 2.2. However, it was not known whether this finding would be confirmed by laser Doppler flowmetry, which is a noninvasive method to measure blood flow.
• 3.3. The purpose of this study was to compare blood flow in oral and skin regions of the rhesus monkey using laser Doppler flowmetry.
• 4.4. The results demonstrated that blood flow was significantly higher in oral regions as compared to facial skin (P < 0.05).
• 5.5. This finding is most likely related to the more abundant capillary supply in oral mucosa as compared to skin.

     

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Role of the visceral nerve in heart rate variations during different behavioral patterns in Megalobulimus sanctipauli (mollusca,gastropoda, pulmonata)

• 1.1. The role of the visceral nerve in mediating the changes in heart rate associated with different behavioral patterns was investigated in Megalobulimus sanctipauli.
• 2.2. The results of acute and chronic denervation experiments indicate that the visceral nerve has no excitatory or inhibitory tonic action on the heart of snails retracted into the shell, nor does it account for the increase in heart rate associated with the locomotion and feeding behaviors.
• 3.3. These changes in heart rate are, probably, indirect effects of increased activity such as an increase in venous return.
• 4.4. The visceral nerve is responsible for approximately 3/4 of the increase in heart rate associated with the first minute of extrusion.
• 5.5. The small increase in heart rate observed in denervated animals is probably caused by an increase in venous return generated by muscle activity that forces the head and food out of the shell.

     

Properties of the transition from short-term to long-term depression in neurons of Helix pomatia

• 1.1. Synaptic short-term depression could be transferred into long term depression by repetition of series of stimuli.
• 2.2. The transition from short-term depression to long-term depression was blocked by puromycin.
• 3.3. The majority of the transition took place during resting periods between stimulus series.
• 4.4. The initiation of the transition process was 83% completed after 5 min of stimulation.
• 5.5. Short- and long-term depression were quantitatively separated into their two serial sites of origin: afferent axons and synaptic terminals.
• 6.6. Long sequences evoked periods with increased and variable EPSPs not conforming to depression.

     

Effects of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug piroxicam on energy metabolism in the perfused rat liver

• 1.1. The actions of piroxicam, a nonsteroidal and noncarboxylic anti-inflammatory drug, on the metabolism of the isolated perfused rat liver were investigated. The main purpose was to verify if piroxicam is also active on glycogenolysis and energy metabolism, as demonstrated for several carboxylic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories.
• 2.2. Piroxicam increased oxygen consumption in livers from both fed and fasted rats.
• 3.3. Piroxicam increased glucose release and glycolysis from endogenous glycogen (glycogenolysis).
• 4.4. Gluconeogenesis from lactate plus pyruvate was inhibited.
• 5.5. The action of piroxicam on oxygen consumption was blocked by antimycin A, but not by atractyloside.
• 6.6. The action of piroxicam in the perfused rat liver metabolism seems to be a consequence of its action on mitochondria.
• 7.7. It can be concluded that inhibition of energy metabolism and stimulation of glycogenolysis are not specific properties of carboxylic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

     

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The influence of ehrlich ascites tumour growth on the turnover of lactate dehydrogenase in tissues of the mouse

• 1.1. The influence of Ehrlich ascites tumour growth on the turnover of total soluble protein and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in mouse tissues has been studied.
• 2.2. Turnover parameters were determined by means of double-labelling technique, with the enzyme (LDH) being isolated by affinity chromatography.
• 3.3. Tumour growth was accompanied by a decreased rate of synthesis of total protein in all tissues.
• 4.4. Lactate dehydrogenase by contrast snowed an increased rate of synthesis in all tissues but kidney.
• 5.5. These directions of change, in combination with the lesser response of degradation constants, resulted in a consequent conservation of enzyme activity in all tissues except kidney.
• 6.6. A generalized shift in the LDH isozyme pattern of these tissues was also observed during tumour growth with an increased contribution of A-type subunit.
• 7.7. These results have been discussed in relation to the redirection of protein synthesis and degradation, the occurrence of foetal isozymes, and possible mechanisms involved in the redistribution of protein resources in the animal during tumour development.

     

Plasma lipoprotein profiles and arylesterase activities in two inbred strains of rabbits with high or low response of plasma cholesterol to dietary cholesterol

• 1.1. Cholesterol feeding for 4 weeks of female and male rabbits of two inbred strains increased plasma cholesterol concentrations by about 11 and 48 mmole/I in the hypo- and hyperresponsive strain, respectively.
• 2.2. On the low-cholesterol pre-experimental diet, the hyporesponsive animals had significantly higher plasma HDL (high density protein) cholesterol levels than hyperresponders.
• 3.3. In both strains, cholesterol feeding caused elevations of cholesterol in all lipoprotein classes, the difference between the hypo- and hyperresponsive strains in essence only being observed in the VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) fraction.
• 4.4. Basal plasma total arylesterase activity was significantly higher in the hypo- than in the hyperresponsive rabbits.
• 5.5. Dietary cholesterol caused an increase in plasma esterase activity in both strains.
• 6.6. We suggest that in rabbits a low plasma arylesterase activity and a low concentration of HDL cholesterol are associated with an increased sensitivity to dietary cholesterol.

     

Influence of experimental hypothermia on exocrine pancreatic secretion in anaesthetized rabbits

• 1.1. The effects which experimental hypothermia induces on rabbit pancreatic exocrine secretion have been investigated.
• 2.2. The flow of juice and the output of total protein and amylase were lowered during hypothermia.
• 3.3. After rewarming, flow recovered but amylase output remained low.
• 4.4. During hypothermia the sensitivity of the pancreas to secretin and PZ-CCK diminished.