T wave morphology (TWM) descriptors derived from Holter electrocardiograms during hemodialysis (HD) are of potential value for cardiac risk assessment in HD patients. Our knowledge on autonomic regulation of TWM descriptors is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between TWM parameters and heart rate variability (HRV) during intradialytic monitoring. In each of 81 patients on maintenance HD, continuous electrocardiograms were recorded 5 times during HD on alternate weeks. TWM descriptors were calculated every 5 s in overlapping 10-s ECG segments and Low Frequency (LF) (0.04 Hz to 0.15 Hz), High Frequency (HF) (0.15 Hz to 0.40 Hz) powers of the spectrum of HRV were calculated every five min. The calculated values of TWM and HRV were averaged during the first hour of the recordings and subsequently over all recordings in each subject. Analyzable data for HRV and TWM were available in 71 HD patients (aged 61±15, 36 % diabetics, 32 % females). LF in normalized units correlated positively with Total Cosine R to T (r=0.374, p=0.001) and negatively with T wave morphology dispersion (r=-0.253, p=0.033) after adjusting for heart rate. A heart rate independent association between repolarisation descriptors and HRV exists in HD patients. Autonomic modulation needs to be considered when using TWM characteristics for risk profiling of HD patients., D. Poulikakos, D. Banerjee, M. Malik., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Increased blood pressure variability (BPV) and decreased interbeat interval (heart rate, respectively) variability (IBIV, HRV respectively) are associated with cardiovascular disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of BPV and IBIV (HRV) in young healthy individuals. Blood pressure and inter-beat intervals (instantaneous values of heart rate, respectively) were recorded beat-to-beat at rest (5 min, Finapres, breathing at 0.33 Hz) in 152 subjects (19-24 years) 3 times in periods of one week. Systolic (SBPV0.1r/SBPV0.1a) and diastolic (DBPV0.1r/DBPV0.1a) blood pressure variability in relative (r.u.) and absolute (mmHg2/Hz) units and inter-beat interval (IBIV0.1r/IBIV0.1a,), or heart rate (HRV0.1r/HRV0.1a) variability in relative (r.u.) and absolute (ms2/Hz, resp. mHz2) units were determined by the spectral method as spectral power at the frequency of 0.1 Hz and 0.33 Hz (SBPV0.33r/SBPV0.33a, DBPV0.33r/DBPV0.33a, IBIV0.33r/IBIV0.33a, HRV0.33r/HRV0.33a). All indices of BPV and IBIV (resp. HRV) revealed a lower intraindividual than interindividual variability (ANOVA; p<0.001). The mean values of all indices in each subject significantly correlated with distribution of individual values in the same subject (Pearson's correlation coefficient; p<0.001). Blood pressure and inter-beat interval (heart rate) variability is an individual characteristic feature., M. Jíra ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Sensorineural hearing loss and vertigo, resulting from lesions in the sensory epithelium of the inner ear, have a high incidence worldwide. The sensory epithelium of the inner ear may exhibit extreme degeneration and is transformed to flat epithelium (FE) in humans and mice with profound sensorineural hearing loss and/or vertigo. Various factors, including ototoxic drugs, noise exposure, aging, and genetic defects, can induce FE. Both hair cells and supporting cells are severely damaged in FE, and the normal cytoarchitecture of the sensory epithelium is replaced by a monolayer of very thin, flat cells of irregular contour. The pathophysiologic mechanism of FE is unclear but involves robust cell division. The cellular origin of flat cells in FE is heterogeneous; they may be transformed from supporting cells that have lost some features of supporting cells (dedifferentiation) or may have migrated from the flanking region. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition may play an important role in this process. The treatment of FE is challenging given the severe degeneration and loss of both hair cells and supporting cells. Cochlear implant or vestibular prosthesis implantation, gene therapy, and stem cell therapy show promise for the treatment of FE, although many challenges remain to be overcome., Lu He, Jing-Ying Guo, Ke Liu, Guo-Peng Wang, Shu-Sheng Gong., and Obsahuje bibliografii
To investigate the effect of light cue on the resetting of the peripheral clocks, we examined the resetting processes of clock genes (Per1, Per2, Bmal1, Cry1, Dec1, and Rev-erbα) in the liver and heart of rats after the feeding and light-dark (LD) reversal via a 24-h light period transition. The liver clock was reset quickly within 3 days, while the heart clock needed a longer time course of 5-7 days to be completely re-entrained. Moreover, the reentrainment of Per1 and Per2 in the liver clock was more rapid than that of the other four clock genes, suggesting the important role of these two clock genes in initiating the circadian resetting of the hepatic clock. However, the resetting rates of these two clock genes were as similar as the others in the heart clock. Therefore, the resetting mechanisms underlining these two peripheral clocks may be totally distinct. Furthermore, the reentrainment of the liver and heart clocks were relatively lengthened after the feeding and LD reversal via a light period transition compared to a dark period transition, suggesting a simultaneous shift of feeding schedule and the LD cycle may facilitate the circadian resetting in rats., T. Wu ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The cardiovascular system is described by parameters including blood flow, blood distribution, blood pressure, heart rate and pulse wave velocity. Dynamic changes and mutual interactions of these parameters are important for understanding the physiological mechanisms in the cardiovascular system. The main objective of this study is to introduce a new technique based on parallel continuous bioimpedance measurements on different parts of the body along with continuous blood pressure, ECG and heart sound measurement during deep and spontaneous breathing to describe interactions of cardiovascular parameters. Our analysis of 30 healthy young adults shows surprisingly strong deep-breathing linkage of blood distribution in the legs, arms, neck and thorax. We also show that pulse wave velocity is affected by deep breathing differently in the abdominal aorta and extremities. Spontaneous breathing does not induce significant changes in cardiovascular parameters., P. Langer, P. Jurák, V. Vondra, J. Halámek, M. Mešťaník, I. Tonhajzerová, I. Viščor, L. Soukup, M. Matejkova, E. Závodná, P. Leinveber., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Determination of response of cortisol and its metabolites to different stimuli may be important for adrenal gland disorders. To date, only one metabolite, cortisone, has been followed in stimulation tests of the adrenal gland. We aimed to describe a response of cortisol metabolites to the standard short Synacthen test (HDST), insulin tolerance test (ITT), low dose Synacthen test (LDST) and medium dose Synacthen test (MDST). Sixty healthy subjects were investigated: 30 men and 30 women. Plasma for measurements of cortisol and its metabolites was obtained before and 30th and 60th min after Synacthen and insulin administration. The cut-off 500 nmol/l of cortisol was reached after stimulation in all of tests, the maximal stimulation level was reached in 60th min in all of the tests except for LDST. The response of cortisol and its metabolites at 30th and 60th min strongly correlated in all of the tests except for LDST. Cortisol and its metabolites increased after stimulation; in contrast, cortisone and its metabolites decreased. We showed that the response of the cortisol metabolites during the Synacthen tests and ITT well correlated, and the MDST showed similar response compared to HDST. The decrease in cortisone metabolites may correspond to the regeneration of cortisol from cortisone in response to stimulation test., K. Simunkova, M. Duskova, M. Kosak, M. Krsek, V. Hana, M. Hill, H. Jandikova, H. Pospisilova, M. Sramkova, E. Bifulco, L. Starka., and Obsahuje bibliografii
We investigated the effects of repeated hyperthermic bouts on the heat shock response of heat s hock protein ( HSP ) 72 in skeletal muscle. Rats were assigned to control and hyperthermia groups which were exposed to heated water at 42 °C. The hyperthermia group was further divided into sub -groups: a single bout (H30) or four bouts of hyperthermia for 30 min (H30x4). There was an increase in HSP72 protein content of the H30 groups in both extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles. Moreover, HSP72 protein expression in H30x4 group was significantly higher than in H30 group in both EDL and soleus muscles. The HSP72 mRNA was markedly increased from control levels in the H30 and H30x4 group in both types of muscles . However, HSP72 mRNA of the H30x4 group was lower than that of the H30 group in soleus muscles. Heat shock response of HSP72 is activate d even after repeated bouts of hyperthermia, with a differential regulation between muscle types., J. Lee, K. Himori, D. Tatebayashi, M. Abe, T. Yamada., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Conventional radiotherapy with X- and γ-rays is one of the common and effective treatments of cancer. High energy hadrons, i.e., charged particles like protons and 12C ions, due to their specific physics and radiobiological advantages are increasingly used. In this study, effectiveness of different radiation types is evaluated on the radio-resistant human HTB140 melanoma cells. The cells were irradiated with γ-rays, the 62 MeV protons at the Bragg peak and in the middle of the spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP), as well as with the 62 MeV/u 12 C ions. The doses ranged from 2 to 24 Gy. Cell survival and proliferation were assessed 7 days after irradiation, whereas apoptosis was evaluated after 48 h. The acquired results confirmed the high radio-resistance of cells, showing better effectiveness of protons than γ-rays. The best efficiency was obtained with 12C ions due to higher linear energy transfer. All analyzed radiation qualities reduced cell proliferation. The highest proliferation was detected for 12C ions because of their large killing capacity followed by small induction of reparable lesions. This enabled unharmed cells to preserve proliferative activity. Irradiations with protons and 12C ions revealed similar moderate pro-apoptotic ability that is in agreement with the level of cellular radio-resistance., A. Ristić-Fira ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
This study aimed to compare the effects of three different resistance exercise models on the quadriceps muscle crosssectional area, as well as on mTOR phosphorylation and other pivotal molecules involved in the upstream regulation of mTOR. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into untrained (control), endurance resistance training, strength resistance training, and hypertrophy resistance training (HRT) groups (n=6). After 12 weeks of training, the red portion of the quadriceps was removed for histological and Western blot analyses. The results showed that the quadriceps weight and cross-sectional areas in the exercised groups were higher than those of the untrained rats. However, the HRT group presented better results than the other two experimental groups. This same pattern was observed for mTOR phosphorylation and for the most pivotal molecules involved in the upstream control of mTOR (increase of PKB, 14-3-3, ERK, p38 MAPK, and 4E-BP1 phosphorylation, and reduction of tuberin, sestrin 2, REDD1, and phospho AMPK). In summary, our study showed that HRT leads to high levels of mTOR phosphorylation as well as of other proteins involved in the upstream regulation of mTOR., T. F. Luciano, S. O. Marques, B. L. Pieri, D. R. de Souza, L. V. Araújo, R. T. Nesi, D. L. Scheffer, V. H. Comin, R. A. Pinho, A. P. Muller, C. T. de Souza., and Obsahuje bibliografii