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L Rauter

Publications and source records attributed to L Rauter.

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[Determination of hydrogen in expiratory air of premature infants in suspected necrotizing enterocolitis].

BACKGROUND: Breath hydrogen (H2) analysis has been recommended for the differential diagnosis between necrotizing enterocolitis and transient feeding intolerance. METHODS: We performed 360 breath H2 analyses in 32 unselected premature babies by use of an electrochemical method. RESULTS: All babies on oral feedings excreted H2. The concentration of H2 in expired air was extremely variable and often high even in well premature babies. Antibiotic medication (other than penicillin G alone) inhibited breath hydrogen excretion. CONCLUSIONS: Breath hydrogen analysis can be used as a diagnostic tool for necrotizing enterocolitis if performed in a symptomatic child on oral feedings prior to the initiation of antibiotic therapy.

Birth Weight

Characterization of lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid in cultured human skin fibroblasts.

Cultured human skin fibroblasts were incubated in the presence of [14C]arachidonic acid (50 microM; 1 m Ci/mmol) and the divalent cation ionophore A23187 at 37 degrees C for 60 min. The metabolites formed were extracted from the cell-free medium in diethyl ether, separated by thin layer chromatography and identified unequivocally by GC-MS. The distribution of the arachidonic acid metabolites as estimated from the recovered radioactivity showed as major product prostaglandin E2 (26%). Minor amounts of other prostaglandins, i.e., 6-oxo-prostaglandin F1 alpha (1%), prostaglandin F2 alpha (1%), prostaglandin D2 (0.5%) and prostaglandin A2 (1%) were also present. In addition to the prostaglandins, monohydroxy fatty acids (4.5%) were also detected. This fraction contained 33% 12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid (HHT), 22% 11-hydroxy-5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (11-HETE) and 31% 15-hydroxy-5,8,11,13-eicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE). Lipid extracts of the cells did not show any detectable amount of the monohydroxy fatty acids, indicating that they are not incorporated metabolically in the cellular lipids. The monohydroxy fatty acids originate mainly from the exogenously added arachidonic acid as evidenced by the 2H/H ratio (30:1) from experiments with octadeuterated arachidonic acid [( 2H8]arachidonic acid). Indomethacin inhibited the formation of all prostaglandins, HHT and 11-HETE; moreover, eicosatetraynoic acid (also blocked the formation of 15-HETE. From these results, it can be concluded that in human skin fibroblasts prostaglandin E2 is the major product of the cycloxygenase pathway, while 15-HETE is the main lipoxygenase product.

Arachidonic Acid