Autologous vein grafts used as aortocoronary bypasses are often prone to intimal hyperplasia, which results in stenosis and occlusion of the vein. The aim of this study was to prevent intimal hyperplasia using a newly developed perivascular system with sustained release of sirolimus. This system of controlled drug release consists of a polyester mesh coated with a copolymer of L-lactic acid and ε -caprolactone that releases sirolimus. The mesh is intended for wrapping around the vein graft during surgery. The mesh releasing sirolimus was implanted in periadventitial position onto arteria carotis communis of rabbits, and neointimal hyperplasia was then assessed. We found that implanted sirolimus-releasing meshes reduced intima thickness by 47±10 % compared to a vein graft after 3 weeks. The pure polyester mesh decreased vein intima thickness by 35±9 %. Thus, our periadventitial system for controlled release of sirolimus prevented the develo pment of intimal hyperplasia in autologous vein grafts in vivo in rabbits. A perivascularly applied mesh releasing sirolimus is a promising device for preventing stenosis of autologous vein grafts., I. Skalský ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Diabetic nephropathy (DN), the most serious complication of Type 1 diabetes (DM1), has a strong genetic component. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an in ducible enzyme by a number of stimuli, has been implicated in pathophysiology of cardiovascular and renal disease, including DN. The allele -765C, of the -765G>C polymorphism (rs20417) in the COX-2 promoter has lower promoter activity compared with the -765G allele and protective effects in cardiovascular disease. This polymorphism was not investigated in patients with DM1 and nephropathy. The study was conducted in 779 Caucasian patients with DM1 and compared to a representative sample of healthy Czech population. The patients demonstr ated lower frequencies of the CC genotype (P=0.005). From th e DM1 cohort, 153 patients met the criteria for low risk of the development of DN (LRDN, duration of DM1>10 years, normoalbuminuria, normotension) and 139 patients had manifest DN. There were no differences in -765G>C polymorphisms between LRDN and DN patients. Moreover, the C/G allele frequenc ies did not also differ between the groups. In conclusion, patients with DM1 display lower freqencies of the protective CC genotype as compared to healthy subjects. However, the study did not reveal associations of -765G>C polymorphism with the risk of DN., J. A. Hubáček ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
PAM (pulse amplitude modulation) fluorometers can be used to estimate the electron transport rate (ETR) [μmol(e-) m-2 s-1] from photosynthetic yield determinations, provided the absorptance (Abtλ) of the photoorganism is known. The standard assumed value used for absorptance is 0.84 (leaf absorptance factor, AbtF). We described a reflectance-absorptancetransmittance (RAT) meter for routine experimental measurements of the actual absorptance of leaves. The RAT uses a red-green-blue (RGB) LED diode light source to measure absorptances at wavelengths suitable for use with PAM fluorometers and infrared gas analysers. Results using the RAT were compared to Abtλ spectra using a Taylor integrating sphere on bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus), banana, Doryanthes excelsa, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, and sugarcane. Parallel venation had no significant effect upon Abt465 in banana, Doryanthes, a Dendrobium orchid, pineapple, and sugarcane, but there was a slight difference in the case of the fern A. nidus. The average Abt465 (approximately 0.96) and Abt625 (approximately 0.89) were approximately 14% and 6% higher than the standard value (AbtF = 0.84). The PAR-range Abt400-700 was only approximately 5% higher than the standard value (approximately 0.88) based on averaged absorptance from the blue, green, and red light data and from where the RGB-diode was used as a ‘white’ light source. In some species, absorptances at blue and red wavelengths are quite different (e.g. water lily). Reflectance measurements of leaves using the RAT would also be useful for remote sensing studies., R. J. Ritchie, J. W. Runcie., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Chronic sojourn in hypoxic environment results in the structural remodeling of peripheral pulmonary arteries and pulmonary hypertension. We hypothesize that the pathogenesis of changes in pulmonary vascular structure is related to the increase of radical production induced by lung tissue hypoxia. Hypoxia primes alveolar macrophages to produce more hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, the increased release of oxygen radicals by other hypoxic lung cells cannot be excluded. Several recent reports demonstrate the oxidant damage of lungs exposed to chronic hypoxia. The production of nitric oxide is high in animals with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and the serum concentration of nitrotyrosine (radical product of nitric oxide and superoxide interaction) is also increased in chronically hypoxic rats. Antioxidants were shown to be effective in the prevention of hypoxia induced pulmonary hypertension. We suppose that the mechanism by which the radicals stimulate of the vascular remodeling is due to their effect on the metabolism of vascular wall matrix proteins. Non-enzymatic protein alterations and/or activation of collagenolytic matrix metalloproteinases may also participate. The presence of low-molecular weight cleavage products of matrix proteins stimulates the mesenchymal proliferation in the wall of distal pulmonary arteries. Thickened and less compliant peripheral pulmonary vasculature is then more resistant to the blood flow and the hypoxic pulmonary hypertension is developed., J. Herget, J. Wilhelm, J. Novotná, A. Eckhardt, R. Vytášek, L. Mrázková, M. Ošťádal., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of the T-786C endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphism on changes in renal hemodynamics and blood pressure due to Na+ loading. Twenty-eight older (63±1 years), moderately obese (39±2 % fat) hypertensives had th eir glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow (RPF), blood pressure (BP) and plasma nitric oxide (NOx) levels determined after eight days of low (20 mEq) and high (200 mEq) Na+ diets. The two Na+ diets were separated by a 1-week washout period. Subjects were genotyped for the eNOS-786 site and were grouped on whether they were homozygous or heterozygous for the C allele (TC+CC, n=13) or only homozygous for the T allele (TT, n=15). The TC+CC genotype group had a significantly greater increase in diastolic (P=0.021) and mean arterial (P=0.018) BP and a significant decline in both RPF (P=0.007) and GFR (P=0.029) compared to the TT genotype group with Na+ loading. Furthermore, Na+ loading resulted in a significant (P=0.036) increase in plasma NOx in the TT, but not in the TC+CC genotype group as well as a trend (P=0.051) for an increase in urine NOx in TC+CC, but not in the TT genotype group. The increase in BP during Na+ loading in older hypertensives was associated with the eNOS genotype and may be related to changes in renal hemodynamics due to changes in NO metabolism., D. R. Dengel, M. D. Brown, R. E. Ferrell, T. H. Reynolds, M. A. Supiano., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
According to the Oxford English Dictonary George Berkeley introduced the term a priori into English. His inspiration for this was, it seems, to be found partly in the writings of his immediate predecessors, particularly Pierre Bayle, and partly in his pedagogical work where he adjudicated disputations between his pupils. Some of his arguments against the existence of matter Berkeley tells us are a priori, others a posteriori. Even the a priori arguments are underpinned by prior semantic principles of an anti-abstractionist character, which are shown to be important particularly in the immaterialist philosophy of mathematics. Berkeley's courageously unorthodox, and generally unpublished, thoughts about mathematics thus grow from the same soil as his celebrated denial of matter., Marek Tomeček., and Obsahuje poznámky a bibliografii
The scholarly attention paid to Anna Katharina SweertsSporck has so far focused on the phase of her youth when she was engaged in translating books chosen by her father count Franz Anton Sporck for publishing. The article explores her interest in the book culture in the later stage of her life after her forced entrance into marriage in 1712. Anna Katharina initiated a large program of publishing and spreading devotional literature. The project was realized in cooperation with the Servite friar Wilhelm M. Löhrer and it aimed to cultivate internal, affective piety as a newly appraised type of religiosity which was increasingly popular across the confessional boundaries in the eighteenth century., Veronika Čapská., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
Let \Omega \subset {{\Bbb C}^n} be a bounded, simply connected \mathbb{C} -convex domain. Let \alpha \in \mathbb{Z}_{+}^{n} and let f be a function on Ω which is separately {C^{2{\alpha _j} - 1}} -smooth with respect to zj (by which we mean jointly {C^{2{\alpha _j} - 1}} -smooth with respect to Rezj, Imzj). If f is α-analytic on Ω\f−1(0), then f is α-analytic on Ω. The result is well-known for the case a_{i}=1, 1\leqslant i\leqslant n even when f a priori is only known to be continuous., Abtin Daghighi, Frank Wikström., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Analyzing the earthquake catalogue of the Upper Egypt area since 1982 revealed some char acteristics of the seismic activity in the area. Construction of a seismicity map according to the seismicity level in the Upper Egypt showed 14 seismic zones and that the seismic activity is intense around the stra it of the Gulf of Suez, along the Red Sea axis, Abu Dabbab and Aswan area. While the detailed study of Aswan zone showed 8 distinct sub-seismic zones and that the activity is concentrated in and around Gable Marawa area. The b-value was calculated for each seismic zone; it is found that the highest value is in Abu Dabbab area followed by Aswan area. A seismic energy rele ased map of the Upper Egypt was constructed for the period from 1982 to 2006; the map reveals the main active zones with high energy values. The study gives new insight for a better understanding of the seismic activity in the Upper Egypt and helps in the seismic hazard assessment., Haggag Hamed Mohamed, Gaber Hassan Hassib, Sayed Abdalah Dahy and Ezzat Mohamed El-Amin., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
The Australian species of the genus Coelioxys Latreille are revised. Six species are recognized: Coelioxys albolineata Cockerell, 1905; Coelioxys froggatti Cockerell, 1911; Coelioxys reginae Cockerell, 1905; Coelioxys weinlandi Schulz, 1904 and two new species: Coelioxys julia sp. n. and Coelioxys tasmaniana sp. n. Three names are synonymized: Coelioxys biroi Friese, 1909 syn. n. and Coelioxys albolineata darwiniensis Cockerell, 1929 syn. n. under Coelioxys albolineata, and Coelioxys victoriae Rayment, 1935 syn. n. under Coelioxys froggatti. Species descriptions and redescriptions, illustrations, distribution maps, floral records and a key to both sexes of all species are provided., Léo Correia da Rocha-Filho., and Obsahuje bibliografii