Recently a new growth factor was purified to homogeneity, and its bioactivity seemed to be restricted to vascular endothelial derived cells. As it was also angiogenic in vivo, it was provisionally named vasculotropin (VAS). As an iodination procedure used to label VAS did not damage the molecule, it was possible to undertake binding studies. The binding of iodinated vasculotropin to bovine adre...

The role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in the pathogenesis of hypertension induced by methylprednisolone (20 mg/kg/week subcutaneously) was studied in rats before and during chronic renin angiotensin system (RAS) blockade with captopril (20 mg/kg/every 8 hrs by mouth). Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) blockade was accomplished by the intravenous (i.v.) administration of propranolol (0.2...

BACKGROUND Hairy-cell leukemia (HCL), lymphoproliferative disease of older age, is characterized by projections from surface of abnormal cells. AIM The aim was to study the clinical presentation and ultrastructural changes in hairy cells (HCs) following cladribine treatment. SETTINGS AND DESIGN Clinical presentation, peripheral smear, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy of HCL cases diagnosed...

I am still impressed that the textbook language of organic chemistry is so successful in explaining the reactions that we find in nature. Thismight not have been anticipated because we find that biological reactions are invariably stereospecific whereas nonbiological reactions are invariably not. This realization came to light about 150 years ago when Pasteur found that only half of chemically ...

BACKGROUND Isoflavones are naturally occurring plant chemicals belonging to the "phytoestrogen" class. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of isoflavones obtained from Cordyceps sinensis (CSIF) on development of estrogen deficiency-induced osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats. METHODS After the rats were treated orally with CSIF, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tartarate ...

OBJECTIVES The present study was designed to investigate further the efficacy and safety of zoledronic acid (ZOL) and propranolol (PRO) as monotherapy and combination therapy in a rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. METHODS Female Wistar rats were ovariectomized (OVX) or sham-operated at 3 months of age. Twelve weeks post-surgery, rats were randomized into six groups: (1) sham + vehicle...

PURPOSE Pathological angiogenesis and chronic inflammation greatly contribute to the development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in chorioretinal diseases involving abnormal contact between retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and endothelial cells (ECs), associated with Bruch's membrane rupture. We explored the ability of the small organotellurium compound octa-O-bis-(R,R)-tartarate ditellur...

The mechanical stimuli resulting from weight loading play an important role in mature bone remodeling. However, the effect of weight loading on the developmental process in young bones is less well understood. In this work, chicks were loaded with bags weighing 10% of their body weight during their rapid growth phase. The increased load reduced the length and diameter of the long bones. The ave...