Vitamin B-6 depletion followed by repletion with animal- or plant-source diets and calcium and magnesium metabolism in young women.

An 84-98-d study was conducted in young women to determine the effect of vitamin B-6-deficient diets on calcium and magnesium metabolism. A vitamin B-6-deficient formula diet fed initially was followed by either animal- or plant-source protein food diets containing four increasing amounts of vitamin B-6. Calcium balance was negative during vitamin B-6 depletion.

Utility of prostaglandin E1 in the pretransplantation evaluation of heart failure patients with significant pulmonary hypertension.

Patients with chronic heart failure frequently have pulmonary hypertension. Because severe preoperative pulmonary hypertension predicts a poor outcome after orthotopic transplantation, pulmonary vasoreactivity is evaluated frequently in the pretransplantation screening of heart failure patients. We prospectively evaluated the utility of the direct pulmonary vasodilator, prostaglandin E1, and compared it to the nonspecific vasodilators, nitroglycerin and sodium nitroprusside, in the evaluation of pulmonary hypertension in 39 heart transplantation candidates.

Cholesterol-lowering in hamsters fed rice bran at various levels, defatted rice bran and rice bran oil.

This study was conducted to determine the relative cholesterol-lowering effects of several levels of full-fat rice bran in hamsters. In addition, the separate effects of defatted rice bran and/or crude rice bran oil were investigated at levels equivalent to those present in 43.7% full-fat rice bran.

Effect of full-fat or defatted rice bran on serum cholesterol.

Rice bran has been shown to lower serum cholesterol in hamsters. Leghorn cockerel chicks were fed 60% full-fat rice bran (FFRB) and corn/soy (CS) diets with 0.5% added cholesterol.

A stable-isotope study of zinc, copper, and iron absorption and retention by young women fed vitamin B-6-deficient diets.

A 98-d study was conducted in young women to determine the effect of vitamin B-6-deficient diets on zinc, copper, and iron metabolism. Young women were fed vitamin B-6-deficient formula initially, followed by food diets containing four increasing amounts of vitamin B-6. Zinc, copper, and iron absorption, retention, and status were determined at intervals throughout the study.

Reversibility of pulmonary hypertension in congestive heart failure patients evaluated for cardiac transplantation: comparative effects of various pharmacologic agents.

Congestive heart failure patients with severe pulmonary hypertension are at risk of death from acute right ventricular failure of the donor heart in the early postoperative period after orthotopic cardiac transplantation. Therefore in the preoperative evaluation of these patients, it is extremely important to determine whether pulmonary hypertension can be reversed by pharmacologic means. Patients with reactive pulmonary hypertension can be considered suitable for orthotopic transplantation and the effective drug utilized postoperatively to reverse pulmonary hypertension and prevent failure of the donor right ventricle.

Control of atrial natriuretic peptide secretion in patients with severe congestive heart failure.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is marked by activation of multiple hormone systems that increased peripheral vasoconstriction and produce sodium and water retention. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels are frequently elevated in patients with severe CHF and may act to counterbalance these hormonal actions. To determine whether CHF patients maintain a physiological response to the presumed major stimulus to ANP secretion, atrial stretch, 22 CHF patients and 8 normal volunteers were studied.

Protein utilization by young women consuming animal or plant protein diets at various levels of vitamin B-6 intake.

Eight young women consumed a vitamin B-6 depletion diet (egg albumen formula, less than 0.05 mg vitamin B-6/d) for 11-28 d. Subjects (n = 4) then consumed either animal protein (AP, mainly dairy and poultry products) or plant protein (PP, mainly various types of beans) diets with increasing vitamin B-6 intake (0.

Bioavailability of vitamin B-6 from rat diets containing wheat bran or cellulose.

Bioavailability of vitamin B-6 (B-6) in the total diet was studied in male, weanling Sprague-Dawley rats fed fiber-free (FF) diets with 0.2 or 6.9 mg pyridoxine/kg diet (0-, 2- or 6.

Improving protein quality of bread - nutritional benefits and realities.

The bases for improving bread protein quality are critically examined. Protein consumption is shown to be directly related to total calorie intake in many countries, with a correlation coefficient (r) of greater than or equal to 0.90.