GOP Takes Aim at Contraception Rule
Republicans vowed to push ahead with a bill to block an administration regulation that virtually all health-insurance plans cover contraception. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Closure of multiple types of K(+) channels is necessary to induce changes in renal vascular resistance in vivo in rats.
Authors: Sorensen CM, Giese I, Braunstein TH, Holstein-Rathlou NH, Salomonsson M Abstract Inhibition of K(+) channels might mediate renal vasoconstriction. As inhibition of a single type of K(+) channel caused minor or no renal vasoconstriction in vivo in rats, we hypothesized that several classes of K(+) channels must be blocked to elicit renal vasoconstriction. We measured renal blood flow (RBF) in vivo in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. Test agents were infused directly into the renal artery to avoid systemic effects. Inhibition of BK(Ca) and K(ir) channels (with TEA and Ba(2+), respectively) caused small and transient reductions in RBF (to 93 ± 2% and 95 ± 1% of baseline, respectively). K(ATP), SK(Ca) or K(v) channel blockade (with glibenclamide, apamin and 4-aminop...