The influence of sarin on various physiological functions in rats following single or repeated low-level inhalation exposure.

Long-term effects of low doses of highly toxic organophosphorus agent sarin on various hematological and biochemical markers and physiological functions were studied in rats exposed to sarin by inhalation. The results indicate that low-level sarin-exposed rats show long-term increase in studied markers of stress and decrease in synthesis of DNA de novo without the disturbance of the functions of cholinergic nervous system. Moreover, sarin at low doses is able to induce some neurotoxic effects including an increase in the excitability of central nervous system in rats at 3 mo following inhalation exposure.

Effect of alanyl-glutamine on leucine and protein metabolism in irradiated rats.

The mechanism by which glutamine produces a favorable effect in the treatment of sepsis, injury, burns and abdominal irradiation is not completely understood. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of alanyl-glutamine (AlaGln) administration on the metabolism of proteins in irradiated rats. The rats were exposed to whole-body irradiation (8Gy) and then fed intragastrically with a mixture of glucose and amino acids either with AlaGln or without AlaGln.

Influence of buthionine sulfoximine, S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione on liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy.

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of derangement in methionine metabolism, and the effects of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and glutathione (GSH) on liver regeneration. Rats were treated immediately and 6 h after 70% hepatectomy (PH) as follows: (1) SAM, (2) GSH, (3) buthionine sulfoximine (BSO; inhibitor of SAM and GSH synthesis), (4) BSO + SAM, (5) BSO + GSH, and (6) buffer solution (B). The control group consisted of laparotomized animals treated with B.

The long-term changes in liver DNA and total protein contents following low level sarin exposure in rats.

1. The changes in contents of DNA and total protein in the liver of the rats exposed to low level sarin by inhalation at 3, 6 and 12 months following the exposure were studied. The influence of sarin on the DNA and protein metabolism in liver was determined by the measurements of incorporation of tritiated thymidine into DNA, the concentration of DNA and total protein.

Effect of alanyl-glutamine on leucine and protein metabolism in endotoxemic rats.

Background: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA; valine, leucine, and isoleucine) have a regulatory effect on protein metabolism and are the main donor for synthesis of alanine and glutamine in the skeletal muscle. This study was performed to investigate whether exogenous alanine or glutamine would affect leucine and protein metabolism in intact and endotoxemic rats.

Methods: Rats were injected with endotoxin of Salmonella enteritidis or saline.

Effect of 7-methoxytacrine and L-carnitine on the activity of choline acetyltransferase.

Changes of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in the hippocampus and the basal ganglia were studied in rats treated i.p. with L-carnitine (CRT) and 7-methoxytacrine (7-MEOTA) (i.

Leucine metabolism in TNF-alpha- and endotoxin-treated rats: contribution of hepatic tissue.

The effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha; cachectin) and lipopolysaccharide of Salmonella enteritidis (LPS; endotoxin) on leucine metabolism in rats were evaluated in the whole body using intravenous infusion of L-[1-14C]leucine and in isolated perfused liver (IPL) using the single-pass perfusion technique with alpha-keto[1-14C]isocaproate as a tracer for measurement of ketoisocaproic acid (KIC) oxidation, and the recirculation technique for measurement of hepatic amino acid exchanges. The data obtained in TNF-alpha and LPS groups were compared with those obtained in controls. Both TNF-alpha and LPS treatment induced an increase of whole body leucine turnover, oxidation, and clearance.

Leucine metabolism in partially hepatectomized rats.

Background/aims: We hypothesized that the decrease in plasma branched-chain amino acids (i.e. valine, leucine and isoleucine) and the increase in the oxidized leucine fraction demonstrated in cirrhotic rats in our previous study were caused by the reduced liver cell mass.

Mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and systemic immune activation in cancer patients.

Aims And Background: Proliferative response of lymphocytes to mitogens is known to be decreased in cancer patients. Depressed proliferation of lymphocytes in other disorders has been linked to systemic inflammatory response.

Methods: Lymphocyte proliferation in response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A, as well as urinary neopterin, plasma interferon-gamma and interleukin-4, were investigated in 41 patients with solid tumors.

Leucine metabolism in rats with cirrhosis.

Background/aims: This study aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of reduced plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine in cirrhosis.

Methods: Cirrhosis was induced by intragastric administration of 36 doses of carbon tetrachloride in olive oil over a period of 12 weeks. Rats treated with oil alone served as controls.

Toxicities of O-alkyl S-(2-dialkylaminoethyl) methyl phosphonothiolates (V-compounds).

Toxicities expressed as LD50 values of O-alkyl S-(2-dialkylaminoethyl) methyl phosphonothiolates in different species and different routes of administration were determined. Rats were more sensitive to these compounds than mice, rabbits and guinea-pigs were more sensitive than mice and rats. The most sensitive to these compounds were dogs.

Protein metabolism in specific tissues of endotoxin-treated rats: effect of nutritional status.

Rats received an injection of [14C]leucine and were then divided into four groups. Groups I and II consisted of ad libitum fed rats were administered saline or endotoxin of Salmonella enteritidis eight and twenty-two h after the [14C]leucine treatment. Animals of Group III (saline) and Group IV (endotoxin) fasted after [14C]leucine injection.

Protein metabolism in cirrhotic rats: effect of dietary restriction.

This paper evaluates the role of decreased food intake in protein metabolism in cirrhotic animals by comparing the changes with those observed in pair-fed controls. Rats were injected with [14C]leucine and then divided into 3 groups. Liver cirrhosis was induced in 1 group of rats by repeated intragastric administration of CCl4 in oil over a period of 8 weeks.

Effects of essential phospholipids on the amino acid metabolism in whole body irradiated rats.

Ionizing radiation induces injury to cell membranes resulting in an increase of plasma amino acids concentration and catabolic response of the body. Essential phospholipids (EPL) administered before radiation protect the cell structures and can be used for their renewal. For this reason EPL are expected to have some effect on amino acid metabolism in radiation sickness.

Changes of cholinesterases in the blood and some tissues following administration of tacrin and its two derivatives to rats.

Tacrin, its 7-methoxy-(MEOTA) and 7-hydroxy-(HYOTA) derivatives were i.m. administered to rats in a dose of 1.

Validity of two different methods to detect liver injury.

Following single administration of carbon tetrachloride (p.o., 200 microliters/200 g) to female rats, activities of transaminases AST and ALT were determined from 1 hr to 7 days after the intoxication.

Anticholinesterase action of organophosphates: importance of the liver.

Acetylcholinesterase activity in the blood, pontomedullar area, basal ganglia of the brain and diaphragm following sublethal soman (i.m., 31 micrograms/kg) and 2-dimethylaminoethyl-(dimethylamido)-fluorophosphate (GV) poisoning (i.

Changes of rat blood and tissue cholinesterases following administration of tacrine derivatives in vivo.

Acetylcholinesterase (blood, hippocampus, frontal cortex, basal ganglia, septum and diaphragm) or butyrylcholinesterase (liver) activities following i.m. administration of tacrine (9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine), its 7-methoxy- and 7-hydroxy derivatives to rats in dose of 1.

Effect of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine on liver regeneration onset after hepatectomy in the rat.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PPC, Essentiale) on the onset of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). Hepatectomy was carried out on rats, and immediately after operation doses of 25, 50 or 250 mg PPC/kg b.w.

Liver and brain DNA contents in acute soman intoxication.

Contents of DNA in the liver and brain parts (cerebellum, pons, hemispheres) of the rat following acute intoxication with soman (i. m., 32 micrograms/kg) were studied.

Changes of acetylcholinesterase activity in hepatectomized rats following soman poisoning.

Acetylcholinesterase activity in the blood, pontomedullar area, basal ganglia of the brain and diaphragm following sublethal soman poisoning (i. m., 31 micrograms/kg) was studied in four groups of rats (n = 6) pretreated as follows: intact, hepatectomized (65 % of resection), sham-operated and narcotized animals.

[Non-contact experimental burns in rats].

Both healthy female rats of the Wistar strain (VELAZ breed) and those irradiated with a single whole-body dose of 5 Gy gamma radiation (60Co) were exposed on the back to non-contact infrared radiation (IR lamp with an output of 250 W: skin surface temperature at a distance of 3 cm from the crown of the lamp = magnitude of 110 +/- 2 degrees C) for time periods of 40 s, 20 s, 10 s (healthy) and 20 s (irradiated animals). The surface range of thermic damage to the skin was determined using planimetry and measuring the length and the width of the burn with the respect to an immediate contraction. The mean values of an immediate retraction of the burnt skin and the interval of reliability of their estimate (p < 0.

2-Dialkylaminoalkyl-(dialkylamido)-fluorophosphates: acute toxicities.

Toxicities expressed as LD50 values of 2-dialkylaminoalkyl-(dialkylamid) o-fluorophophates for rats and mice (i. m. administration) were determined.

An evaluation of continual determination of blood cholinesterase activity for inhibition studies.

Simple method of continual monitoring of the rat blood cholinesterase activity in vivo was used to demonstrate its inhibition following i. m. administration of acridine and carbamate inhibitors.