Hrvatska liturgijska pjesmarica: Pjevajte Gospodu pjesmu novu (III. popravljeno i dopunjeno izdanje)

Bananas have enormous health benefits as a food for both animals and humans. They have been used as a complimentary medicine to treat pathological conditions since ancient times. Recently, there has been increased interest in the scientific validity of the beneficial effects of bananas in alleviating and treating disease conditions including, ulcers, infections, diabetes, diarrhea, colitis and blood pressure. Herein, we write on the potential therapeutic and functional benefits of certain species of bananas when consumed green as well as considering the properties of extracts from the non-fruit parts of the plant. We conclude that green bananas appear to deliver an array of health and therapeutic benefit

Renal, hormonal, and cardiovascular responses to chronic angiotensin I infusion in the ovine fetus

Long-term infusion of angiotensin I (ANG I) into the ovine fetus has been shown to cause excess accumulation of fetal fluid in the allantoic compartment. It was hypothesized that this resulted from sustained increases in fetal urine production. and the hormonal basis was examined. ANG I (6.7 mu g/h, n = 6) or isotonic saline (n = 6) was infused for 3 days into chronically cannulated ovine fetuses (112-122 days of gestation). ANG I caused an immediate and progressive increase in mean arterial blood pressure (from 42 +/- 2 to 57 +/- 4 mmHg), increased urine flow rate (from 15 +/- 3 to 48 +/- 8 ml/h), and increased glomerular filtration rate (from 97 +/- 15 to 146 +/- 24 ml/h), without significant changes in fetal plasma concentrations of aldosterone, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), adrenocorticotropin, or cortisol. There were substantial increases in sodium and chloride excretion, due to both increased fetal urine concentrations and fetal urine flow, without significant changes in urine osmolality (from 134 +/- 9 to 147 +/- 12 mosmol/kg water). There were no significant changes in any parameter in the saline-infused fetuses. Neither amniotic or allantoic fluid volume was significantly changed by ANG I infusion, but allantoic fluid Cl- concentration increased significantly. The conclusions are that ANG I caused a diuresis and natriuresis in the fetal sheep independent of changes in cortisol or ANF

Effect of maternal glucocorticoid treatment on ovine fetal fluids at 0.6 gestation

This study examined the effects of maternal dexamethasone treatment on the volume and composition of fetal fluids, and on placental morphology at 0.6 gestation (80-90 days). Nine pregnant ewes were infused with dexamethasone (D, 0.76 mg h(-1) for 72 h) while an additional nine ewes received saline (S, 0.38 mL h(-1) for 72 h). Allantoic fluid (ALF) volume was significantly greater (P < 0.02) in the D group (737+/-116 mL) than in the S group (190+/-55 mL), but there was no difference in amniotic fluid (AMF) volume. The urine flow rate was 11 times higher in three D fetuses. The Cr-51-EDTA infused into the bladders of four fetuses during the final 4-5 h of the 72 infusions was detected in both AMF and ALE Dexamethasone treatment significantly altered the composition of the fetal fluids but had no affect on fetal body weight, organ weights and placental weight; however, there were fewer cotyledons under 5 g (P < 0.05). In the D group, 3% of cotyledons were of the 'bovine' type in morphology, whereas all cotyledons in the S group were of the 'ovine' type. These findings suggest that prolonged exposure to large doses of glucocorticoids during pregnancy would affect the volume and composition of the fetal fluids and placental morphology, with potentially detrimental effects on the fetus

Effect of maternal glucocorticoid treatment on ovine fetal fluids at 0.6 gestation

This study examined the effects of maternal dexamethasone treatment on the volume and composition of fetal fluids, and on placental morphology at 0.6 gestation (80-90 days). Nine pregnant ewes were infused with dexamethasone (D, 0.76 mg h(-1) for 72 h) while an additional nine ewes received saline (S, 0.38 mL h(-1) for 72 h). Allantoic fluid (ALF) volume was significantly greater (P < 0.02) in the D group (737+/-116 mL) than in the S group (190+/-55 mL), but there was no difference in amniotic fluid (AMF) volume. The urine flow rate was 11 times higher in three D fetuses. The Cr-51-EDTA infused into the bladders of four fetuses during the final 4-5 h of the 72 infusions was detected in both AMF and ALE Dexamethasone treatment significantly altered the composition of the fetal fluids but had no affect on fetal body weight, organ weights and placental weight; however, there were fewer cotyledons under 5 g (P < 0.05). In the D group, 3% of cotyledons were of the 'bovine' type in morphology, whereas all cotyledons in the S group were of the 'ovine' type. These findings suggest that prolonged exposure to large doses of glucocorticoids during pregnancy would affect the volume and composition of the fetal fluids and placental morphology, with potentially detrimental effects on the fetus

BLOOD VOLUME MEASUREMENTS IN THE NEONATAL LAMB: VALIDATION OF A METHOD USING [51Cr]‐LABELLED RED CELLS

1. The reproducibility of blood volume measurements, using [Cr-51]-labelled red blood cells (RBC) was tested in three lambs, 79-89 days of age, and the accuracy was tested in eight lambs, 83 +/- 0.4 days of age, in which blood volume was measured simultaneously by [Cr-51]-RBC and [I-125]-gamma globulin plus haematocrit (hct)

The Effect of Chronic and Acute Hemorrhage On Erythropoietin in the Neonatal Lamb

In all mammalian species studied the haematocrit (hct) declines after birth in the absence of any known nutritional deficiencies. The glycoprotein hormone, erythropoietin (Epo), is essential for normal red blood cell production. The aims of this study were 1) to investigate the changes in plasma Epo during the normal post-natal decrease in hct in lambs; 2) to compare the effects of chronic and acute haemorrhage in neonatal lambs; and 3) to test the hypothesis that the Epo response to haemorrhage is blunted in the neonatal period. Twenty-one lambs (0-9 weeks of age) were studied; group I (n=8) were used to document normal post-natal changes (98 samples); group II (n=7) lambs were haemorrhaged repetitively during weeks 3-6 (95 samples); group III (n=6) lambs were bled once in the first 3-week period

Fluid abnormalities occur in the chronically cannulated mid-gestation but not late gestation ovine fetus

Hydrops fetalis, with or without oligo- or polyhydramnios, is associated with very high fetal mortality. In many cases the causes are unknown. Chronically cannulated ovine fetuses have been used as animal models to study the regulation of Fetal fluid balance. This study reports that the mid-gestation ovine fetus (70 +/- 1 d of gestation; term = 145-150 d) is susceptible to the development of fetal abnormalities (excess allantoic fluid-hydrallantois, with or without hydrops and hydranencephaly), when blood vessels in the neck are cannulated. Cannulation of one carotid artery and one jugular vein, or cannulation of a single jugular vein resulted in 5 out of 12 fetuses having abnormalities 1 wk later. In contrast, six fetuses at 115 d of gestation that had both carotids and one jugular vein ligated cranially and cannulated, developed hydranencephaly but no hydrops or hydrallantois. In the mid-gestation fetus hydrallantois [760 +/- 140 mL (n = 5) versus 104 +/- 23 mL (n = 7 controls), p < 0.001] occurred without alterations in the plasma concentrations of ACTH, cortisol, atrial natriuretic peptide, or aldosterone, as well as without anemia. Although the causes of the fluid abnormalities were not resolved, it is important to note the developmental differences in vulnerability

Experimental hydranencephaly in the ovine fetus

Hydranencephaly is defined as the replacement of a previously normal brain, in whole or in part, by membranous fluid-filled sacs. The etiology is not well understood, and the time course of development is unknown. Fifteen ovine fetuses were chronically cannulated and had both carotid arteries ligated at 100 days of gestation (term is 145-150 days). They were killed at 1 (n = 4), 2 (n = 6) and 4 (1? = 5) weeks post-surgery, and the findings compared with those of 25 age-matched controls. By 2 weeks post-surgery the entire cerebral hemispheres and diencephalon had been replaced by fluid closely resembling cerebrospinal fluid. The choroid plexus, pituitary and brain stem remained outwardly normal, but the cerebellum showed signs of damage. Fetuses maintained normal values for blood gases and hematocrit up to 4 weeks post-surgery, and grew normally. Light microscopy of the brain stem showed significant losses of cell populations in the medulla by 4 weeks. Vascular casting and acute blood flow studies in an additional group of fetuses showed that the entire brain was perfused via the vertebral-occipital anastomosis immediately after acute bilateral carotid clamping, but that the blood flow rate was insufficient to maintain adequate oxygen delivery