Contraluminal transport of organic cations in the proximal tubule of the rat kidney

In order to study the quantitative structure/activity relationship of organic cation transport across the contraluminal side of the proximal renal tubule cell, the stopped-flow capillary microperfusion method was applied and the inhibitory potency (apparent K _i values) of different homologous series of substrates against N ¹-[³H]methylnicotinamide (NMeN⁺) transport was evaluated. Aniline and its ring- or N-substituted analogues as well as the aminonaphthalines do not interact with the contraluminal NMeN⁺ transporter except for the quaternary trimethylphenylammonium and pararosaniline, which bear a permanent positive charge, and for 1,8-bis-(dimethylamino)naphthaline, which forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond. If, however, one or more than one methylene group is interposed between the benzene ring and the amino group, the compounds interact with the contraluminal NMeN⁺ transporter in proportion to their hydrophobicity parameter, i.e. the octanol/water partition coefficient (log octanol). The catecholamines and other hydroxyl-substituted phenylethyl analogues also follow this rule. In addition, the N-heterocyclic pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline and acridine analogues also interact with the contraluminal NMeN⁺ transporter, when their pK _a values are higher than 5.0, and, an inverse correlation between pK _a and log K _{i, NMeN} was observed. An exception to this rule are those hydroxy compounds of pyridine, quinoline and isoquinoline that show tautomerism. These compounds slightly inhibit NMeN⁺ transport despite low pK _a values. The quaternary nitrogen compounds of aniline and the N-heterocyclic analogues, as far as tested, all interact with the contraluminal NMeN⁺ transporter in relation to their hydrophobicity. The data indicate that the contraluminal NMeN⁺ transporter interacts with N-compounds according to their hydrophobicity and/or according to their basicity (affinity to protons). The reason for deviation of the aniline analogues and the OH-tautomeric heterocyclic N-compounds from this behaviour is discussed.     

Secretin and VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase from rat heart

The exact positions of microelectrodes used to measure thePO₂ in the cerebral cortex of the rat were determined by staining the tissue with Alcian Blue. The measurement sites were subsequently located under a light microscope and correlated with the capillary and cellular arrangement of the cortex. The microelectrodes used for thePO₂ measurements were made of gold glass fibers; the Alcian Blue was injected hydrostatically through a micropipette attached to thePO₂ microelectrode. The sites where dye had been deposited were seen under a light microscope as green blue spots about 100 m in diameter. The capillaries were visualized by silver nitrate perfusion. Differences between the localPO₂ values in the neo- and the archeocortex were found. In the neocortex the meanPO₂ was 31 mm Hg, capillary volume 1.6%, capillary surface area 980/mm², capillary length 13.5/mm; whereas in the archeocortex these values where 21 mm Hg, 0.9%, 820/mm² and 9.4/mm respectively. These data indicate a relationship between the microcirculatory transport system and the local oxygen tension and provide further evidence that the meanPO₂ level tends to decrease when moving from the surface into the archeocortex.Supported by the Deutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftReported in part at the 3rd Symposium of ISOTT, Cambridge, GB, 1977; and at the 27th International Congress of Physiological Sciences, Paris, France, 1977     

Mild atopic dermatitis lacks systemic inflammation and shows reduced nonlesional skin abnormalities

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Altered chromatin landscape in circulating T follicular helper and regulatory cells following grass pollen subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy

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Osteotomy around the knee: Assessment of quality,content and readability of online information

BackgroundAs knee osteotomy surgery becomes increasingly accessible, more patients may turn to the Internet for information. This study examined the source, quality, content and readability of online information regarding osteotomy around the knee.MethodsThe first 70 websites returned by the top four search engines were identified using the key words: “knee osteotomy” and “high tibial osteotomy.” The websites were categorised by type and assessed using the DISCERN score, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria and a novel Knee Osteotomy-Specific Score (KOSS). The presence of the Health On the Net (HON) code accreditation seal was noted. Readability of each website was assessed using eight readability formulae. The mean reading grade level (RGL) was compared to the 6th and 8th grade reading levels. The mean RGL of each category was also compared.ResultsOf the 45 unique websites analysed, the majority were Physician (33%) and Journal websites (31%). The mean DISCERN score was 36.7 (±8.9) which is classified as ‘poor.’ The mean JAMA benchmark criteria score was 2.04 (±1.5) and Physician websites were most likely to be scored zero. The mean KOSS was 15.4 (±5.7). The highest scoring website was a Commercial site but, overall, Journal category sites provided the best quality information. Websites that bore the HONcode seal obtained higher DISCERN, JAMA benchmark criteria and Knee Osteotomy - Specific Scores.The cumulative mean RGL was 13.2 (±2.2) which exceeded the 6th grade level by an average of 7.2 grade levels and the 8th grade level by an average of 5.2 grade levels. No website (0%) was written at or below either the 6th or the 8th grade reading levels. The mean Flesch Reading Ease Score of all websites was 41.13 (±14.7) which is classified as ‘difficult.’ Journal websites had the highest RGL.ConclusionThe information available online regarding osteotomy around the knee varies tremendously in quality and completeness. Physician sites predominate, but these were among the lowest scoring of all websites. Even where high quality information is available, it is set at too high a level to be easily understood.Level of evidenceSurvey of materials – Internet.     

Mucosal bromodomain-containing protein 4 mediates aeroallergen-induced inflammation and remodeling

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A revised cytoarchitectonic map of the neocortex of the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Summary The cytoarchitectonic parcellation of the rabbit's neocortex has been investigated in 6 hemispheres which had been fixed by perfusion, embedded in paraffin and sectioned at either 9 m or 20 m in various planes. In addition to the classical method of microscopic observation, and automatic scanning procedure using an image analyser for measuring grey level indices was employed. By printing computer plots of various ranges of grey level indices, this method permits visualization of structural differences between various cytoarchitectonic fields. By evaluating the plots, cytoarchitectonic maps can be constructed which are based on objective data and therefore less influenced by subjective judgment than the maps obtained with the classical method. — In some regions the results based on the quantitative method are in agreement with the commonly used maps of Rose (1931), and in other regions widely at variance. It is shown, for instance, that the area striata as defined by Rose (1931) is composed of two distinct fields, viz. areas Oc 1 and 2, which are separated from each other in the rostro-caudal direction. These and other findings are described in detail, compared with the observations of Rose (1931), and related to the literature on functional localization in the rabbit's neocortex. Attention is drawn to the fact that the results obtained in 6 hemispheres leave no doubt that individual variations in size and shape of the entire hemisphere as well as of the various cytoarchitectonic fields do occur, and will have to be taken into account if cytoarchitectonic maps such as those published in the present paper are to be used in the context of experimental work.     

闽东地区新生儿败血症54例分析

目的 为了解闽东地区新生儿败血症临床表现、主要病原菌及其药敏情况。方法 本篇回顾性分析了54例2000年2月～2003年4月闽东医院儿科住院的血培养阳性的新生儿败血症患儿的临床表现、主要病原菌、药敏实验结果。结果主要临床表现:黄疸占48.1％,少哭、少动、少吃、反应差占46.3％,外周血象WBC<10 × 109/L占37.1％。金黄色葡萄球菌败血症26例(占48.1％)和表皮葡萄球菌16例(占29.6％)为主要致病菌。几乎全部对青霉素及红霉素耐药,对菌必治与先锋V敏感率>73.1％,尚未发现耐万古霉素的菌株。结论 新生儿出现黄疸、反应差等临床表现即使血白细胞不高也需考虑败血症的可能,治疗首选抗菌素为先锋V。     

Staphylococcus epidermidis protease EcpA can be a deleterious component of the skin microbiome in atopic dermatitis

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