Echocardiographic assessment of cardiac pump function using afterloading characteristics]

Seventy five patients and twenty healthy individuals were investigated by using cardiac ultrasound technique, followed by mathematical simulation of changes in left ventricular pressure during contraction. The findings show that the afterload characteristics based on a wealth of evidence for cardiac and left ventricular performance, unlike the conventional central hemodynamic parameters and cardiac phasic indices, enable the occult circulatory disorders to be revealed and the cardiac compliance with the arterial system to be assessed.     

The use of thermo- and acid-stable proteinase inhibitor to depress proteolysis activation during inflammation of the lungs

Central Research Laboratory, Crimean Medical Institute, Simferopol'. Cardiologic Scientific Center, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences A. G. Chuchalin.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 113, No. 6, pp. 580–582, June, 1992.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Citrullus vulgaris</Emphasis> on some functional indices of selected tissues of Wistar rats

Citrullus vulgaris (watermelon) is a fruit with prophylactic and therapeutic potentials. In an attempt to maximize these potentials, the seed and rind are now often consumed together with the pulp. This study aimed at evaluating the implications of such consumption. Study involved the use of 35 Wistar rats grouped into seven with a control group administered distilled water, and the other groups administered varying concentrations of the pulp and whole fruit for 28 days. Alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT, AST) were assayed in the serum and liver. Total protein of the serum and selected tissues was determined and malondialdehyde (MDA) level measured. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of steroids, saponin, alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids in both whole fruit and pulp. Significant increases (p < 0.05) were seen in the liver ALT levels while there was a decreased (p < 0.05) intestinal total protein in the treatment groups. No significant (p ? 0.05) difference was seen in the serum and pancreas MDA levels while an increased (p < 0.05) intestinal MDA level was observed. Increased liver ALT levels in all the treatment groups might be due to high glutamate levels of C. vulgaris. Decreased (p ? 0.05) intestinal total protein might be indicative of protein loss, while elevated (p < 0.05) intestinal MDA levels in the groups administered whole fruit is suggestive of a defect in absorption at the intestinal epithelium. Hence, whole fruit consumption of C. vulgaris should be done with caution as it has potential to cause intestinal oxidative stress.