The aim of this study was to assess the influence of regular daily consumption of white wine on oxidative stress and cardiovascular risk markers. Forty-two healthy male volunteers consumed 375 ml of white wine daily. Each participant provided three venous blood samples (before wine consumption, following the wine consumption period and again a month later). Levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione, total antioxidant capacity, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A I, apolipoprotein B, triglycerides, paraoxonase 1, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) were measured. Immediately following the month of white wine consumption there was a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol (p<0.0001), paraoxonase 1 (p<0.001), glutathione peroxidase (p<0.001) and reduced glutathione (p<0.01) levels, a decrease in superoxide dismutase activities (p<0.0001), and a decrease in oxidation protein products (p<0.001) and TBARS (p<0.05) concentrations. However, there was also a clear increase in homocysteine (p<0.0001) after a month of white wine consumption. The results of our non-placebo controlled trial suggest that regular daily white wine consumption is associated not only with both antioxidative and antiatherogenic effects but also with a potentially proatherogenic increase of homocysteine concentrations. and D. Rajdl, J. Racek, L. Trefil, K. Siala.
Time delay in the mediation of ventilation (VE) by arterial CO2 pressure (PaCO2) was studied during recovery from short impulse-like exercises with different work loads of recovery. Subjects performed two tests including 10-s impulse like exercise with work load of 200 watts and 15-min recovery with 25 watts in test one and 50 watts in test two. V . E, end tidal CO2 pressure (PETCO2) and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously during rest, warming up, exercise and recovery. PaCO2 was estimated from PETCO2 and tidal volume (VT). Results showed that predicted arterial CO2 pressure (PaCO2 pre) increased during recovery in both tests. In both tests, VE increased and peaked at the end of exercise. VE decreased in the first few seconds of recovery but started to increase again. The highest correlation coefficient between PaCO2 pre and V . E was obtained in the time delay of 7 s (r=0.854) in test one and in time delays of 6 s (r=0.451) and 31 s (r=0.567) in test two. HR was significantly higher in test two than in test one. These results indicate that PaCO2 pre drives VE with a time delay and that higher work intensity induces a shorter time delay., R. Afroundeh, T. Arimitsu, R. Yamanaka, C. S. Lian, K. Shirakawa, T. Yunoki, T. Yano., and Obsahuje bibliografii
We evaluated the effects of exercise on the vascular constrictor responses to α-adrenergic stimulation in the db/db mice. Twenty male db/db and their age-matched wild-type (WT) mice were exercised (1 hour/day, five days a week). Mice were anesthetized 7 weeks later, thoracic aortae were mounted in wire myograph and constrictor responses to phenylephrine (PE, 1 nM-10 μM) were obtained. Citrate synthase activity measured in the thigh adductor muscle was significantly increased in db/db mice that were exercise trained. Maximal force generated by PE was markedly greater in db/db aortae and exercise did not attenuate this augmented contractile response. Vessels were incubated with inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (L-NAME, 200 μM), endothelin receptors (bosentan, 10 μM), protein kinase C (PKC) (calphostin C, 5 μM), cyclooxygenase (indomethacin, 10 μM) or Rho-kinase (Y-27632, 0.1 μM). Only calphostin-C normalized the augmented PE-induced constriction in db/db and db/db- exercised mice to that observed in WT (p<0.05). Cumulative additions of indolactam, a PKC activator, induced significantly greater constrictor responses in aortic rings of db/db mice compared to WT and exercise did not affect this response. Our data suggest that the augmented vasoconstriction observed in the aorta of db/db mice is likely due to increased PKC activity and that exercise do not ameliorate this increased PKC-mediated vasoconstriction., M. Khazaei, F. Moien-Afshari, T. J. Kieffer, I. Laher., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliiografické odkazy
With increasing opportunities for analyzing large data sources, we have noticed a lack of effective processing in datamining tasks working with large sparse datasets of high dimensions. This work focuses on this issue and on effective clustering using models of artificial intelligence.
The authors of this article propose an effective clustering algorithm to exploit the features of neural networks, and especially Self Organizing Maps (SOM), for the reduction of data dimensionality. The issue of computational complexity is resolved by using a parallelization of the standard SOM algorithm. The authors have focused on the acceleration of the presented algorithm using a version suitable for data collections with a certain level of sparsity. Effective acceleration is achieved by improving the winning neuron finding phase and the weight actualization phase. The output presented here demonstrates sufficient acceleration of the standard SOM algorithm while preserving the appropriate accuracy.
We introduce a new way of computation of time dependent partial differential equations using hybrid method FEM in space and FDM in time domain and explicit computational scheme. The key idea is quick transformation of standard basis functions into new simple basis functions. This new way is used for better computational efficiency. We explain this way of computation on an example of elastodynamic equation using quadrilateral elements. However, the method can be used for more types of elements and equations.
The physiological response of plants to triple foliar biofertilization with cyanobacteria and green algae under the conditions of limited use of chemical fertilizers was investigated. Triple foliar biofertilization with intact cells of Microcystis aeruginosa MKR 0105, Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, and Chlorella sp. significantly enhanced physiological performance and growth of plants fertilized with a synthetic fertilizer YaraMila Complex (1.0, 0.5, and 0.0 g per plant). This biofertilization increased the stability of cytomembranes, chlorophyll content, intensity of net photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, and decreased intercellular CO2 concentration. Applied monocultures augmented the quantity of N, P, K in plants, the activity of enzymes, such as dehydrogenases, RNase, acid or alkaline phosphatase and nitrate reductase. They also improved the growth of willow plants. This study revealed that the applied nontoxic cyanobacteria and green algae monocultures have a very useful potential to increase production of willow, and needed doses of chemical fertilizers can be reduced., M. Grzesik, Z. Romanowska-Duda, H. M. Kalaji., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Effects of root treatment with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) on leaf photosynthesis in strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) plants were investigated by rapid chlorophyll fluorescence and modulated 820 nm reflection using 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea (DCMU) and methyl viologen (MV). Our results showed that ALA treatments increased the net photosynthetic rate and decreased the intercelluar CO2 concentration in strawberry leaves. Under DCMU treatment, trapping energy for QA reduction per PSII reaction center increased greatly, indicating DCMU inhibited electron transfer from QA−. The maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) decreased under the DCMU treatment, while a higher Fv/Fm remained in the ALA-pretreated plants. Not only the parameters related to a photochemical phase, but also that one related to a heat phase remained lower after the ALA pretreatment, compared to the sole DCMU treatment. The MV treatment decreased PSI photochemical capacity. The results of modulated 820 nm reflection analysis showed that DCMU and MV treatments had low
re-reduction of P700 and plastocyanin (PSI). However, the strawberry leaf discs pretreated with ALA exhibited high re-reduction of PSI under DCMU and MV treatments. The results of this study suggest that the improvement of photosynthesis by ALA in strawberry was not only related to PSII, but also to PSI and electron transfer chain., Y. P. Sun, J. Liu, R. X. Cao, Y. J. Huang, A. M. Hall, C. B. Guo, L. J. Wang., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The effects of serosally added 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, 100 μM) on the short circuit-current (Isc) across jejunum and ileum taken from fed, starved and undernourished (Gerbillus cheesmani) were investigated. The effects of the neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin (TTX, 10 μM) on the basal Isc as well as on the maximum increase in Isc induced by 5-HT were also studied. There were regional variations in the basal Isc as well as in the way by which the small intestine responds to 5-HT. The basal Isc was greater in jejunum than in ileum and such differences were TTX-sensitive. The maximum increase in Isc, which results from addition of 5-HT, was higher in jejunum than in ileum under all three feeding conditions. TTX reduced the maximum increase in Isc induced by 5-HT across stripped and intact intestine of the two regions in the three nutritional states. The 5-HT-induced Isc in the jejunum of both starved and undernourished gerbils and in the ileum of starved animals was the function of both submucosal and myenteric plexus. In jejunum and ileum taken from starved and undernourished gerbils the 5-HT-induced Isc was both chloride- and bicarbonate-dependent. Thus the results indicated that both starvation and undernourishment increase that response and such increases were TTX-sensitive and both chloride- and bicarbonate-dependent., F. Y. Al-Balool., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Several diseases induce hypermetabolism, which is characterized by increases in rest ing energy expenditures (REE) and whole body protein loss. Exaggerated protein degradation is thought to be the driving force underlying this response. The effects of caspase and calpain inhibitors on REE in physiological and hypermetabolic conditions, how ever, are unknown. Thus, we studied whether MDL28170 (calpain inhibitor) or z-VAD-fmk (caspase inhibitor) affect REE under physiological conditions and during hypermetabolism post -burn. Rats were treated five times weekly and observed for 6 weeks. Treatmen t was started 2 h (early) or 48 h ( late) after burn. In normal rats, MDL28170 transiently increased REE to 130 % of normal during week 2-4. z-VAD-fmk reduced REE by 20-25 % throughout the observation period. Within 14 days after burns, REE increased to 13 0±5 % . Whereas MDL28170/ early treatment did not affect REE, MDL28170/ late transiently increased REE to 180±10 % of normal by week 4 post- burn. In contrast, with z -VAD -fmk/ early REE remained between 90-110 % of normal post- burn. z-VAD-fmk/ late did not affect burn-induced increases in REE. These data suggest that caspase cascades contribute to the development of hypermetabolism and that burn-induced hypermetabolism can be pharmacologically modulated. Our data point towards caspase cascades as po ssible therapeutic targets to attenuate hypermetabolism after burns, and possibly in other catabolic disease processes., P. G. Vana, H. M. LaPorte, R. H. Kennedy, R. L. Gamelli, M. Majetschak., and Obsahuje bibliografii
With the aim to contribute to the elucidation of the role of phytohormones in response of plants to adverse environmental conditions, seedlings of Phaseolus vulgaris, Nicotiana tabacum, Beta vulgaris, and Zea mays were supplied with water, 100 µM abscisic acid (ABA), or 10 µM N6-benzyladenine (BA) immediately before imposition of water stress (WS). In all four species, contents of chlorophylls (Chls) and carotenoids were markedly decreased during WS and after rehydration only in plants pre-treated with water but not in those pre-treated with ABA or BA. Contents of pigments of xanthophyll cycle increased during WS more in plants pre-treated with ABA or BA than in those pre-treated with water, but the degree of their de-epoxidation was highest in the later. Similarly, the efficiency of photosystem 2, determined as variable to maximal Chl fluorescence ratio, was not markedly decreased in bean plants pre-treated with ABA or BA in contrast to those pre-treated with water. The imposed WS was not severe enough to damage chloroplast ultrastructure. However, different changes in a size of starch inclusions were observed. In bean plants, the amount of starch increased considerably in plants pre-treated with water, while it decreased in BA pre-treated plants and no change was found in ABA pre-treated ones. The starch content declined under WS in sugar beet and tobacco plants but only moderate changes were found in ABA or BA pre-treated plants. Thus the application of BA and especially of ABA reduced the negative effects of subsequent WS. and D. Haisel ... [et al.].