Nonpharmacological interventions to promote sleep in the adult critical patients unit: A scoping review.

Background: Sleep and circadian rhythms are markedly altered in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Numerous factors related to the patient and the ICU environment affect the ability to initiate and maintain sleep. Therefore, nonpharmacological interventions could play an essential role in improving sleep and circadian rhythm.

Renin-angiotensin system-regulating aminopeptidases in tumor growth of rat C6 gliomas implanted at the subcutaneous region.

Background: Angiotensin peptides play roles in brain tumor infiltration and associated angiogenesis.

Materials And Methods: We explored the roles of soluble and membrane-bound forms of renin-angiotensin system-regulating aminopeptidase N (APN)-, aminopeptidase B (APB)-, glutamate aminopeptidase- and aspartate aminopeptidase (AspAP)-specific activities on tumor growth in the rat C6 glioma model with implantation into the subcutaneous abdomen of Wistar rats, evaluating these activities as biological markers. The tumor volume was assessed for three weeks and a sample of tumor was obtained every seven days to obtain the soluble and membrane-bound fraction, in order to assay enzyme activities fluorometrically using their corresponding aminoacyl-β-naphthylamide as substrates.

Influence of chronic ethanol intake on mouse synaptosomal aspartyl aminopeptidase and aminopeptidase A: relationship with oxidative stress indicators.

Aminopeptidase A (APA) and aspartyl aminopeptidase (ASAP) not only act as neuromodulators in the regional brain renin-angiotensin system, but also release N-terminal acidic amino acids (glutamate and aspartate). The hyperexcitability of amino acid neurotransmitters is responsible for several neurodegenerative processes affecting the central nervous system. The purpose of the present work was to study the influence of chronic ethanol intake, a well known neurotoxic compound, on APA and ASAP activity under resting and K(+)-stimulated conditions at the synapse level.

Hormonal status modifies renin-angiotensin system-regulating aminopeptidases and vasopressin-degrading activity in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis of female mice.

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) participates in the maintenance of cardiovascular functions and in the control of blood pressure. By other hand, it is known that blood pressure regulation and HPA activity are affected by sex hormones. The aim of the present work is to analyze the influence of estradiol and progesterone on renin-angiotensin system (RAS)-regulating aminopeptidase A, aminopeptidase B and aminopeptidase N activities and vasopressin-degrading activity in the HPA axis of ovariectomized mice and ovariectomized mice treated subscutaneously with different doses of estradiol and progesterone.

Chronic ethanol intake modifies pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase activity in mouse frontal cortex synaptosomes under resting and K+ -stimulated conditions: role of calcium.

Pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase (Pcp) is an omega peptidase that removes pyroglutamyl N-terminal residues of peptides such as thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH), which is one of the neuropeptides that has been localized into many areas of the brain and acts as an endogenous neuromodulator of several parameters related to ethanol (EtOH) consumption. In this study, we analysed the effects of chronic EtOH intake on Pcp activity on mouse frontal cortex synaptosomes and their corresponding supernatant under basal and K+ -stimulated conditions, in presence and absence of calcium (Ca2+) to know the regulation of Pcp on TRH. In basal conditions, chronic EtOH intake significantly decreased synaptosomes Pcp activity but only in absence of Ca2+.

Serum enkephalin-degrading aminopeptidase activity in N-methyl nitrosourea-induced rat breast cancer.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent spontaneous malignancy diagnosed in women in the western world, although no specific etiological agent(s) or the mechanism responsible for the initiation of the disease has been identified as yet. Enkephalins (Leu5-enkephalin and Met5-enkephalin) (ENK) act in the breast in different ways such as modulating esteroid receptors and proteases secretion. ENK are hydrolyzed by specific enzymes, leading to their inactivation, such as the enkephalin-degrading tyrosyl aminopeptidase (EDA).

Glutamyl- but not aspartyl-aminopeptidase activity is modified in serum of N-methyl nitrosourea-induced rat mammary tumours.

Background: The rat model of breast cancer induced by the administration of N-methyl-nitrosourea (NMU) constitutes a useful tool for dissecting the initiation, promotion and progression process of carcinogenesis. Angiogenesis, the recruitment of new blood vessels, is an essential component of the metastatic pathway. Tumour vessels have an aberrant response to constrictor hormones, such as angiotensin II (Ang II).

Hormonal status modifies renin-angiotensin system-regulating aminopeptidases and vasopressin-degrading activity in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis of male mice.

Local renin-angiotensin systems (RAS) have been postulated in brain, pituitary and adrenal glands. These local RAS have been implicated, respectively, in the central regulation of the cardiovascular system and body water balance, the secretion of pituitary hormones and the secretion of aldosterone by adrenal glands. By other hand, it is known that the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is involved in blood pressure regulation, and is affected by sex hormones.