The goal of this study was to determine how long-term treatment of spontaneously hypertensive rats with losartan affects the pressure-natriuresis curve. Rats were treated with losartan (12 to 15 mg.kg-1.d-1 in drinking water) starting at 4 to 5 weeks of age. At 8 to 9 weeks of age, pressure natriuresis was studied in treated and untreated anesthetized rats using a preparation involving volume e...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the accuracy of urine protein-to-creatinine (P/C) ratio in an untimed urine specimen as compared with 24 h total protein excretion for measurement of proteinuria in patients with lupus nephritis. METHODS Proteinuria in patients with lupus nephritis was assessed by 24 h total protein excretion and spot urine P/C ratio. Correlation and limits of agreement between the two m...

BACKGROUND Increased intraabdominal pressure (IPA) during laparoscopy has been associated with decreased urine output. The purpose of this study was to use a noninvasive MRI technique to measure renal vessel flow velocity and change in differential renal medulla and cortex perfusion during pneumoperitoneum. STUDY DESIGN Six female farm pigs underwent general endotracheal anesthesia and dynami...

BACKGROUND 24-h urine protein is traditionally used as a gold standard method for protein estimation. Because of the operational difficulty, there is the necessity to use rapid, convenient, and reliable method of proteinuria estimation. AIM We carried out this study to compare the two rapid methods of protein estimation: dipstick method and spot urine protein creatinine ratio (UPCR) with that...

To investigate the roles of different sulfur (S) species in controlling the partitioning and bioavailability of inorganic mercury (Hg) in anoxic sediments, we examined the differential binding of Hg with three key S species in anoxic sediment (mackinawite [FeS], pyrite [FeS2], and S(2-)) and then quantified their extraction by the gut juice of deposit-feeding sipunculans Sipunculus nudus. A seq...

Pressure natriuresis may be mediated through increases in inner medullary vasa recta blood flow (QvR). By means of acute renal decapsulation to prevent increases in renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP), the effect of increases in QVR in the presence and absence of changes in RIHP in the natriuretic and diuretic responses to increases in renal perfusion pressure (RPP) was evaluated. Bl...

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to describe the effects of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) on regional and microcirculatory intestinal blood flow, renal blood flow, and urine output, as well as their response to increases in blood pressure induced by norepinephrine. METHODS This was a pilot, controlled study, performed in an animal research laboratory. Twenty-four anesthetized and mech...