What is claimed is:
1. A method for determining the sensitivity of an individual to sodium, which comprises measuring the amount of a substance selected from the group consisting of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I and des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen in the urine of an individual on a high salt diet and comparing said amount with a reference standard, wherein an elevated amount of said substance is indicative of sodium sensitivity.
2. A method for determining the sodium status of an individual, which comprises measuring the amount of a substance selected from the group consisting of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I and des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen and renin in the urine of an individual not on a high salt diet and comparing said amount with a reference standard, wherein an elevated amount of said substance is indicative of sodium restriction.
3. A method for screening drugs for treating hypertension, which comprises adding a drug candidate to an immortalized renal cell line having characteristics of mouse proximal tubule, measuring the effect of the drug on angiotensinogen expression or secretion or on sodium transport, and comparing the effect of the drug candidate to a control with no drug, wherein a decrease in angiotensinogen expression or secretion or a decrease in sodium transport indicates that the drug candidate is useful for treating hypertension.
4. A method for screening drugs for treating hypertension, which comprises administering a drug candidate to an animal, measuring the effect of the drug on the paracrine tubule renal-angiotensin system and comparing the effect of the drug candidate to a control with no drug, wherein an effect shown by the drug candidate indicates the drug candidate is useful for treating hypertension.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the level of angiotensinogen expression or secretion is monitored in the proximal tubule, and a decrease in said level over the control is indicative of a drug useful for treating hypertension.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the level of renin expression or secretion is monitored in the distal nephron.
7, The method of claim 4, wherein the level of sodium transport in the proximal tubule is measured, and a decrease in said level over the control is indicative of a drug useful for treating hypertension.
8. The method of claim 4, wherein the activity of the sodium channel in the distal nephron is measured, and a decrease in said activity over the control is indicative of a drug useful for treating hypertension.
9. The method of claim 4, wherein the density of angiotensin-I receptors in the distal nephron is measured.
10. The method of claim 3, wherein the drug candidate is further tested at the entire animal level by measuring (a) blood pressure, (b) plasma volume, or (c) amount of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I, angiotensin-II, des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen or renin in the urine of the animal.
11. The method of claim 4, wherein the drug candidate is further tested at the entire animal level by measuring (a) blood pressure, (b) plasma volume, or (c) amount of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I, angiotensin-II, des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen or renin in the urine of the animal.
12. The method of claim 5, wherein the drug candidate is further tested at the entire animal level by measuring (a) blood pressure, (b) plasma volume, or (c) amount of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I, angiotensin-II, des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen or renin in the urine of the animal.
13. The method of claim 6, wherein the drug candidate is further tested at the entire animal level by measuring (a) blood pressure, (b) plasma volume, or (c) amount of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I, angiotensin-II, des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen or renin in the urine of the animal.
14. The method of claim 7, wherein the drug candidate is further tested at the entire animal level by measuring (a) blood pressure, (b) plasma volume, or (c) amount of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I, angiotensin-II, des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen or renin in the urine of the animal.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein the drug candidate is further tested at the entire animal level by measuring (a) blood pressure, (b) plasma volume, or (c) amount of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I, angiotensin-II des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen or renin in the urine of the animal.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the drug candidate is further tested at the entire animal level by measuring (a) blood pressure, (b) plasma volume, or (c) amount of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-I, angiotensin-II, des-angiotensin-I-angiotensinogen or renin in the urine of the animal.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A mounting structure of an automobile stabilizer bar, comprising:
a support bracket having a first end fixed to a lateral surface of a crossmember and a second end distanced from the lateral surface of said crossmember and protruding out toward a side of a vehicle body;
at least one bushing coupled to a stabilizer bar and having a rounded top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface being stably mounted to said support bracket;
at least one bushing bracket having an arch shape, which defines two lateral surfaces and a rounded inner surface that encloses the rounded top surface of said at least one bushing;
at least a pair of stud bolts, each having a top end that is connected to a respective one of the lateral surfaces of said bushing bracket, a middle section, and a bottom end;
at least a pair of pipe members coupled to said support bracket into each of which said middle section of a respective one of said stud bolts is disposed; and
at least a pair of coupling nuts, each of which is coupled to the bottom end of a respective one of said stud bolts.
2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said support bracket comprises:
an upper plate onto which said bottom surface of said at least one bushing is stably mounted; and
two side plates integrally formed with said upper plate and bent downward therefrom, each having an outer surface to which a respective one of said pipe members is coupled.
3. The structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said pipe members are welded to said outer surfaces of said side plates.
4. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein each lateral surface of said bushing bracket has a wave-shaped cross section having two convex portions and a center concave portion, and the top end of a respective one of said stud bolts is connected to said center concave portion.
5. The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the top end of said stud bolt is welded to said center concave portion of said bushing bracket.
6. The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the rounded top surface of the bushing has a wave-shaped cross section.