The effects of single-dose and fractionated whole-brain irradiation on brain methotrexate (MTX) has been studied in a rat model. The amount of MTX present in the brain 24 hr after a single i.p. dose (100 mg/kg) was the same wether animals were sham irradiated or given a single dose of 2000 rads 6 or 48 hr prior to the drug (6.9, 8.3, and 6.8 pmol MTX/g, wet weight, respectively). Animals sham i...

Activated inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB kinase β (IKKβ) is necessary and sufficient for denervated skeletal muscle atrophy. Although several studies have shown that Mg(2+)/Mn(2+)-dependent protein phosphatase 1B (PPM1B) inactivated IKKβ, few studies have investigated the role of PPM1B in denervated skeletal muscle. In this study, we aim to explore the expression and significance of PPM1B and p...

Heavy metal and organochlorine (OC) concentrations, including organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs), were determined in arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryi) from three sites in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska in 1991– 93. Heavy metals were present in most squirrel livers collected, with concentrations of trace elements (As, Cd, Hg, Ni, and Pb) aver...

The effect of the fibre content of lifelong (18 months) diets on proximal and distal colonic cellular proliferation and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) content was investigated in 40 rats. Rats were fed a low fibre diet (17 g/kg non-starch polysaccharides NSP) or the stock diet (133 g/kg NSP). The higher fibre fed rats had increased caecal and colonic total contents (p < 0.001) and SCFAs than the...

The magnitude of complex carbohydrate malabsorption in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency has not been well quantified in the past. The quantity of carbohydrate malabsorbed after a rice starch (100 g) meal in 20 patients with chronic pancreatitis (n = 10) or pancreatic cancer (n = 10) was therefore estimated. Patients had a three day stool fat collection (80 g/24 hour fat intake), a lactulose (2...

We have measured rates of ketogenesis and malonyl-CoA contents of hepatocytes isolated from meal-fed rats under a variety of incubation conditions in order to determine the relationship between the intracellular malonyl-CoA level and the rate of ketogenesis. Evidence obtained from rat liver homogenates suggested that malonyl-CoA, which is a major determinant of fatty acid synthesis in vivo, als...

Lung capillary filtration coefficient (Kf) and impacts of oxidative stress have not been determined in the setting of severe trauma, especially in obese patients who exhibit increased lung injury. We hypothesized that severe trauma leads to a greater increase in lung Kf in obesity due to exacerbated production of and/or vulnerability to oxidative stress. Severe trauma was induced in lean and ob...

The present study was undertaken to examine possible aluminum (Al) accumulation in the brain of rats and to investigate whether subchronic exposure to the metal leads to behavioral and neurophysiological changes in both treated and control groups. Each of the groups consisted of 10 animals. Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) at a low (50 mg/kg/d) or high (200 mg/kg/d) dose was applied to male Wistar rat...

Several factors which affect the sensitivity of calcitonin bioassay were investigated. As to the assay animals, Sprague-Dawley and Holtzman rats were more sensitive than Wistar rats. In mice, C3H III strain gave better response to calcitonin than CF 1 and ddN strains. In each strain, younger rats were more sensitive than older ones. It was also demonstrated that the longer was the period of low...

Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) were collected from coastal areas and voes in Shetland and Orkney during March and April 1998 and from various coastal locations around mainland Scotland and from the Islands during October and December 1999. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentration and composition (2- to 6-ring parent and branched) were determined for all samples. Additional analysis, inc...