Remote or conventional ischemic preconditioning--local liver metabolism in rats studied with microdialysis.

Background: Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) of the liver decreases liver injury secondary to ischemia and reperfusion. An attractive alternative to IPC is remote ischemic preconditioning (R-IPC), but these two methods have not previously been compared.

Material And Methods: Eighty-seven rats were randomized into four groups: sham operated (n = 15), 1 h segmental ischemia (IRI, n = 24), preceded by IPC (n = 24), or R-IPC (n = 24) (to the left hindleg).

Probiotics prevent intestinal barrier dysfunction in acute pancreatitis in rats via induction of ileal mucosal glutathione biosynthesis.

Background: During acute pancreatitis (AP), oxidative stress contributes to intestinal barrier failure. We studied actions of multispecies probiotics on barrier dysfunction and oxidative stress in experimental AP.

Methodology/principal Findings: Fifty-three male Spraque-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into five groups: 1) controls, non-operated, 2) sham-operated, 3) AP, 4) AP and probiotics and 5) AP and placebo.

Probiotics enhance pancreatic glutathione biosynthesis and reduce oxidative stress in experimental acute pancreatitis.

Factors determining severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) are poorly understood. Oxidative stress causes acinar cell injury and contributes to the severity, whereas prophylactic probiotics ameliorate experimental pancreatitis. Our objective was to study how probiotics affect oxidative stress, inflammation, and acinar cell injury during the early phase of AP.

Cholecystokinin-8-induced hypoplasia of the rat pancreas: influence of nitric oxide on cell proliferation and programmed cell death.

The background of cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8)-induced hypoplasia in the pancreas is not known. In order to increase our understanding we studied the roles of nitric oxide and NF-kappaB in rats. CCK-8 was injected for 4 days, in a mode known to cause hypoplasia, and the nitric oxide formation was either decreased by means of N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) or increased by S-nitroso-N-acetylpencillamine (SNAP).

Telomerase activity in surgical specimens and fine-needle aspiration biopsies from hyperplastic and neoplastic human thyroid tissues.

Background: Telomerase activity (TA) indicates malignancy, but activated lymphocytes also express TA. Correlation between TA in thyroid tissues and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples and knowledge about TA in adjacent tissue are of importance.

Methods: The telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detection was performed on 78 thyroid cases including 53 suspected malignancies, preoperative and perioperative FNA specimens, and adjacent tissue.

The influence of nitric oxide on basal and cholecystokinin-8-induced proliferation and apoptosis in the rat pancreas.

Nitric oxide (NO) is formed by different cell types in the pancreas. In this study, inhibition of endogenous nitric oxide by N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) reduced the urinary excretion of NO(2)/NO(3) and raised serum L-arginine and the NO donator S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) increased the urinary excretion of NO(2)/NO(3). The peptide cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8) has a strong influence on exocrine pancreatic proliferation.