Search results for "DISCOVERY"

The effect of cathartic agents on transmucosal electrical potential difference in the human rectum.

1980

Active ion transport in the colon is generating a transmucosal electrical potential difference (PD) of about 40 mV. Cathartic agents inhibit electrolyte and water net-absorption or cause net-secretion which should be reflected in a change of PD. In 83 normal subjects the effect of an isotonic eletrolyte solution (control) and different cathartic agents on rectal PD was tested: Laxatives (bisacodyl, rhein), bile acids (cholic and deoxycholic acid), fatty acids (oleic and ricinoleic acid) and cardiac glycosides (meproscillarin, digitoxin, digoxin). Bisacodyl, deoxycholic acid in high concentration, meproscillarin and digitoxin significantly decreased PD, while the other substances did not. Ca…

Long-term treatment of acromegaly with the somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 over 6 months.

1986

This study examined the effects of the long-acting selective mini somatostatin analogue (SMS) 201-995 in two acromegalic patients who were treated for 3 and 6 months, respectively. During treatment the mean growth hormone levels (25.3 and 20.8 ng/ml vs 5.9 and 10.6 ng/ml) and somatomedin C levels (6.2 and 6.2 IU/ml vs 3.3 and 3.8 IU/ml) decreased and the patients reported an improvement in their symptoms. The main side effect was an increase in stool fat excretion which did exceed the normal range (less than 7 g/day) in one patient. Five acromegalics who received 2 X 50 micrograms SMS 201-995/day for 5 days showed a significant increase of stool fat excretion (1.7 vs 3.5 g/day; p less than …

Acute phase response after myocardial infarction: Correlation between serum levels of cytokines and C-reactive protein

1990

The influence of oral contraceptives on the composition of bile.

1982

The increased risk of cholelithiasis during intake of oral contraceptives may be due to estrogen-induced saturation of the bile with cholesterol. In a randomized, prospective, crossed-over double-blind study 20 healthy women after roentgenological exclusion of gall-stones received either 1.0 mg of norethindrone acetate and 50 microgram ethinyl estradiol daily - as usual in oral contraception - for 21 days with 7 days of placebo treatment in each cycle or one fifth of this hormone dose in form of a continuous daily medication. After a 4 month's treatment the medication form was crossed-over. At the beginning of the study, before the cross-over and after the study bile was collected by duoden…

Esophageal transmural potential difference in patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux.

1980

Esophageal electrical potential difference (PD) was studied in 9 patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux and in 9 healthy control subjects. None of the patients revealed gross mucosal damage by radiography or endoscopy, but all of them showed positive acid perfusion studies. In the stomach and across the lower esophageal sphincter PD profiles were remarkably similar in patients and controls. Throughout the lower esophagus however, PD values were slightly higher in patients with symptomatic reflux than in healthy volunteers. These data are in contrast to a previous investigation, in which patients with reflux-induced gross mucosal damage revealed a decreased PD in the lower esophag…

Sympathetic nervous activity and the pressor effect of noradrenaline under chronic?-?-adrenoceptor blockade with labetalol in hypertension

1983

In 14 patients with essential hypertension, the influence of the alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug labetalol on blood pressure, heart rate, plasma renin, plasma noradrenaline and pressor effect of exogenous noradrenaline was investigated during long-term treatment. During the initial four weeks of treatment, labetalol at a dose of 400 mg/day showed a slight effect only on supine blood pressure, whereas upright blood pressure was already lowered effectively after the second week of treatment (p less than 0.01). An increase in the mean dose to 850 mg/day had an additional blood pressure-lowering effect (p less than 0.001), whereby a preferential decrease of the orthostatic blood pres…

Targeted Hybrid Nanocarriers as a System Enhancing the Skin Structure

2021

The skin is constantly exposed to external and internal factors that disturb its function. In this work, two nanosystems-levan nanoparticles and a surfactin-stabilized nanoemulsion were preserved (tested for microbial growth) and characterized (size, polydispersity, Zeta potential, and stability). The nanosystems were introduced in the model formulations-cream, tonic, and gel, and confirmed by TEM. The analysis showed that nanoemulsion has a spherical morphology and size 220–300 nm, while levan nanoparticles had irregular shapes independently of the use of matrix and with particle size (130–260 nm). Additionally, we examined the antiradical effect of levan nanoparticles and nanoemulsion in …

Screening of pharmacologic adulterant classes in herbal formulations using voltammetry of microparticles.

2013

A solid state electrochemical method for screening different families of adulterant chemicals illegally added to commercial phytotherapuetic formulations is described. The proposed method, based on the voltammetry of microparticles approach, permits a fast and sensitive way to distinguish between anorexics (amfepramone, fenproporex, sibutramine), benzozodiazepinic anxiolytics (clonazepam, flurazepam, alprazolam, midazolam, medazepam, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam), antidepressants (bupropione, fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine), diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, chlortalidone, amiloride, spironolactone), and hypoglycemics (glimepiride, chlorpropamide, glibenclamide) based on charact…

High Pressure Processing Impact on Alternariol and Aflatoxins of Grape Juice and Fruit Juice-Milk Based Beverages.

2021

High-pressure processing (HPP) has emerged over the last 2 decades as a good alternative to traditional thermal treatment for food safety and shelf-life extension, supplying foods with similar characteristics to those of fresh products. Currently, HPP has also been proposed as a useful tool to reduce food contaminants, such as pesticides and mycotoxins. The aim of the present study is to explore the effect of HPP technology at 600 MPa during 5 min at room temperature on alternariol (AOH) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) mycotoxins reduction in different juice models. The effect of HPP has also been compared with a thermal treatment performed at 90 °C during 21 s. For this, different juice models, or…

B Cells Compartment in Centenarian Offspring and Old People

2010

Immunosenescence is considered a major contributory factor to the increased frequency of morbidity and mortality among elderly. On the other hand centenarians are considered the best example of successful ageing. To gain insight into mechanisms of immunosenescence and its clinical relevance, a possible model is represented by centenarians and/or their offspring. Nowadays centenarians are not more a curiosity, but in Europe are 1/8000 inhabitants and it has been demonstrated that the centenarian offspring, who are typically in their 70s and 80s, have a survival advantage when compared with age-matched controls whose parents died at an average life expectancy. Then again, studies on immunosen…