The objective of our study was to compare Doppler echocardiography imaging with pu lmonary artery thermodilution measurement during mechanical ventilation. Total 78 piglets (6 weeks old, average weight 24 kg, under general anesthesia) were divided into 4 groups under different cardiac loading conditions (at rest, with increased left ventricular afterload, with increased right ventricular preload, and with increased afterload of both heart ventricles). At 60 and 120 min the animals were examined by echocardiography and simultaneously pulmonary artery thermodilution was used to measure cardiac output. Tei-indexes data were compared with invasively monitored hemodynamic data and cardiac output values together with calculated vascular resistance indices. A total of 224 parallel measurements were obtained. Correlation was found between values of right Tei-index of my ocardial performa nce and changes in right ventricular preload (p<0.05) and afterload (p<0.01). Significant correlation was also found between left index values and changes of left ventricular preload (p<0.001), afterload (p<0.001), stroke volume (p<0.01), and cardiac output (p<0.01). In conclusion, echocardiographic examination and determination of the global performance selectively for the right and left ventricle can be recommended as a suitable non-invasive supplement to the whole set of methods used for monitoring of circulation and cardiac performance., J. Kobr ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
We developed a new method for the quantitative determination of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms taking advantage of immunochemical differences and based on the ELISA principle. In the present paper we compare anal ysis of MyHC isoforms using the SDS-PAGE and the ELISA methods in the same samples of adult female inbred Lewis strain euthyroid, hyperthyroid and hypothyroid rats. In all thyroid states, the same composition and corresponding changes of MyHC isoforms were determined using both methodological approaches in the slow soleus and the fast extensor digitorum longus muscles. Our results showed that ELISA can be used for a “semi-quantitative” or “comparative” measurement of MyHC isoforms in multiple muscle samples, but that it is neither more exact no r faster compared to SDS-PAGE., Jan Říčný., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the level of oxygen uptake (V.o2) at the onset of decrement-load exercise (DLE) is lower than that at the onset of constant-load exercise (CLE), since power output, which is the target of V.o2 response, is decreased in DLE. CLE and DLE were performed under the conditions of moderate and heavy exercise intensities. Before and after these main exercises, previous exercise and post exercise were performed at 20 watts. DEL was started at the same power output as that for CLE and power output was decreased at a rate of 15 watts per min. V.o2 in moderate CLE increased at a fast rate and showed a steady state, while V.o2 in moderate DLE increased and decreased linearly. V.o2 at the increasing phase in DLE was at the same level as that in moderate CLE. V.o2 immediately after moderate DLE was higher than that in the previous exercise by 98±77.5 ml/min. V.o2 in heavy CLE increased rapidly at first and then slowly increased, while V.o2 in heavy DLE increased rapidly, showing a temporal convexity change, and decreased linearly. V.o2 at the increasing phase of heavy DLE was the same level as that in heavy CLE. V.o2 immediately after heavy DLE was significantly higher than that in the previous exercise by 156±131.8 ml/min. Thus, despite the different modes of exercise, V.o2 at the increasing phase in DLE was at the same level as that in CLE due to the effect of the oxygen debt expressed by the higher level of V.o2 at the end of DLE than that in the previous exercise., T. Yano, H. Ogata, R. Matsuura, T. Arimitsu, T. Yunoki., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Hereditary hypertriglyceridemic (hHTG) rats are characterized by increased blood pressure and impaired endotheliumdependent relaxation of conduit arteries. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term (4 weeks) treatment of hHTG rats with three drugs which, according to their mechanism of action, may be able to modify the endothelial function: simvastatin (an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase), spironolactone (an antagonist of aldosterone receptors) and L-arginine (a precursor of nitric oxide formation). At the end of 4th week the systolic blood pressure in the control hHTG group was 148±2 mm Hg and in control normotensive Wistar group 117±3 mm Hg. L-arginine failed to reduce blood pressure, but simvastatin (118±1 mm Hg) and spironolactone (124±4 mm Hg) treatment significantly decreased the systolic blood pressure. In isolated phenylephrine-precontracted aortic rings from hHTG rats endothelium-dependent relaxation was diminished as compared to control Wistar rats. Of the three drugs used, only simvastatin improved acetylcholine-induced relaxation of the aorta. We conclude that both simvastatin and spironolactone reduced blood pressure but only simvastatin significantly improved endothelial dysfunction of aorta. Prominent increase in the expression of eNOS in large conduit arteries may be the pathophysiological mechanism underlying the protective effect of simvastatin in hHTG rats., J. Török, I. L'upták, J. Matúšková, O. Pecháňová, J. Zicha, J. Kuneš, F. Šimko., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The relative length of telomeres measured in peripheral blood leukocytes is a commonly used system marker for biological aging and can also be used as a biomarker of cardiovascular aging. However, to what extent the telomere length in peripheral leukocytes reflects telomere length in different organ tissues is still unclear. Therefore, we have measured relative telomere length (rTL) in twelve different human tissues (peripheral blood leukocytes, liver, kidney, heart, spleen, brain, skin, triceps, tongue mucosa, intercostal skeletal muscle, subcutaneous fat, and abdominal fat) from twelve cadavers (age range of 29 week of gestation to 88 years old). The highest rTL variability was observed in peripheral leukocytes, and the lowest variability was found in brain. We found a significant linear correlation between leukocyte rTL and both intercostal muscle (R=0.68, P<0.02) and liver rTL (R=0.60, P<0.05) only. High rTL variability was observed between different organs from one individual. Furthermore, we have shown that even slight DNA degradation (modeled by sonication of genomic DNA) leads to false rTL shortening. We conclude that the rTL in peripheral leukocytes is not strongly correlated with the rTL in different organs., D. Dlouha, J. Maluskova, I. Kralova Lesna, V. Lanska, J. A. Hubacek., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of low-dose combined oral contraception (COC) on basal and stimulated (1 μg ACTH test) levels of serum and salivary cortisol (F), cortisone and on basal serum cortisol binding globulin (CBG), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), dehydroepiadrosterone (DHEA) and calculated free cortisol in healthy young women. Three-month administration of COC resulted in 1) significant increase of basal (454.0±125.0 to 860.9±179.7 nmol/l) and ACTH-stimulated serum cortisol in 30th min (652.3±60.5 to 1374.1±240.6 nmol/l); 2) no significant change of basal (15.4±7.3 to 18.9±8.5 nmol/l) and ACTH-stimulated salivary cortisol at the 30th min (32.4±8.8 to 32.9±9.0 nmol/l); 3) no significant change of basal serum cortisone (38,8±7.68 to 45.2±24.2 nmol/l) and ACTH-stimulated cortisone at the 30th (34.8±10.9 to 47.0±35.7 nmol/l); 4) significant increase of basal ACTH (17.2±9.0 to 38.2±29.4 ng/l), CBG (991.0±161.0 to 2332.0±428.0 nmol/l), and 5) no significant change of basal DHEA (24.6±15.7 to 22.6±11.7 μmol/l) and calculated basal value for free cortisol (22.8±14.9 to 19.2±6.9nmol/l). In conclusions, higher basal and ACTH-stimulated serum cortisol were found after three-month administration of COC, while basal and stimulated salivary cortisol were not significantly affected. Therefore, salivary cortisol can be used for assessment of adrenal function in women regularly using COC., K. Šimůnková, L. Stárka, M. Hill, L. Kříž, R. Hampl, K. Vondra., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
This study investigated whether each part of the heart is evenly innervated by the left or right vagus and observed the mechanism of compensatory recovery after unilateral cervical vagotomy. HR, BP, LVSP and ±dp/dt max all decreased one week after left vagotomy, whereas only BP and -dp/dt max decreased one week after right vagotomy. We stern blot analyses revealed that the expression of M2 receptors in the left atrium and left ventricle was upregulated after subacute (1 week) left/right vagotomy. However, significantly more cholinesterase-positive nerves in LV and RV were seen one week after unilateral vagotomy compared to the sham-operated group. In addition, baroreflex sensitivity was increased after subacute right vagotomy. The decreasing effects of ACh (0.5 μ g/kg) on LVSP and ±dp/dt max (but not on HR and BP) were facilitated by subacute unilateral vagotomy. Our present experiments indicate that 1) the working myocardium is innervated bilaterally by the vagus, 2) ventricular contractility is influenced more by denervation of the left than the right vagus and 3) up-regulation of M2 muscarinic receptors in the left heart, increase of cholinergic nerves, and high baroreflex sensitivity could be involved in the mechanism of compensatory hemodynamic recovery via contralateral vagus overactivity, thereby amplifying contralateral vagal activity and decreasing cardiac contractility., L. N. Chen, W. J. Zang, X. J. Yu, J. Liu, D. L. Li, S. S. Kong, J. Lu, X. L. Xu., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The role of alkaloids in cigarette smoke was investigated in the cumulus expansion of oocyte-cumulus complexes (OCC) isolated from large antral porcine follicles. Suppression of the cumulus expansion stimulated by FSH was observed in the presence of different concentration of cadmium, anabasine and nicotine but not its metabolite cotinine. There were comparable inhibitory effects of cadmium and nicotine on the synthesis and accumulation of hyaluronic acid in the cell/matrix compartment of OCC. The inhibitory effect of tested compounds on the cumulus expansion was accompanied by decreased progesterone synthesis by cumulus cells during 42 h incubation of OCC with FSH. The results suggest that cigarette smoking may affect intrafollicular processes, which are responsible for normal ovulation and fertilization., S. Vršanská, E. Nagyová, A. Mlynarčíková, M. Ficková, J. Kolena., and Obsahuje bibliografii
E. Filová, M. Rampichová, M. Handl, A. Lytvynets, R. Halouzka, D. Usvald, J. Hlučilová, R. Procházka, M. Dezortová, E. Rolencová, E. Košťáková, T. Trč, E. Šťastný, L. Koláčná, M. Hájek, J. Motlík, E. Amler. and Obsahuje bibliografii
31P MR spectroscopy was used to measure the signal intensity ratios of high-energy metabolites for the calculation of free cytosolic magnesium concentration [fMg2+] and pH in the calf muscles of patients with primary juvenile hypertension and of healthy controls. Surface coil and spectroscopic imaging techniques were used. In patients with hypertension, the concentrations of [fMg2+] was 788±33 mmol/l and intracellular pH was 7.05±0.02; these values were not significantly different from the results obtained in healthy controls ([fMg2+], 776±21 mmol/l and pH, 7.06±0.01). Biochemical assays of magnesium in the serum (S-Mg) and in urine (DU-Mg) confirmed this finding. Significant differences in the relative signal intensities of high-energy phosphates between patients with primary juvenile hypertension and healthy controls were observed: a) signal intensity ratios of PCr/Pi, PCr/PbATP, PDE/PbATP were increased, and b) Pi/PDe, Pi/PATP were decreased. The results were the same irrespective of whether the surface coil method or 31P spectroscopic imaging were employed., M. Hájek, D. Palyzová, M. Kořínek, D. Kurková., and Obsahuje bibliografii