An attempt has been made to test for a reliable method of characterizing the isovolumic left ventricular pressure fall in isolated ejecting hearts by one or two time constants, tau. Alternative nonlinear regression models (three- and four-parametric exponential, logistic, and power function), based upon the common differential law dp(t)/dt = - [p(t)-Ptau]/ tau(t) are compared in isolated ejecting rat, guinea pig, and ferret hearts. Intraventricular pressure fall data are taken from an isovolumic standard interval and from a subinterval of the latter, determined data-dependently by a statistical procedure. Extending the three-parametric exponential fitting function to four-parametric models reduces regression errors by about 20-30 %. No remarkable advantage of a particular four-parametric model over the other was revealed. Enhanced relaxation, induced by isoprenaline, is more sensitively indicated by the asymptotic logistic time constant than by the usual exponential. If early and late parts of the isovolumic pressure fall are discarded by selecting a subinterval of the isovolumic phase, ? remains fairly constant in that central pressure fall region. Physiological considerations point to the logistic model as an advantageous method to cover lusitropic changes by an early and a late tau. Alternatively, identifying a central isovolumic relaxation interval facilitates the calculation of a single ("central") tau; there is no statistical justification in this case to extend the three-parametric exponential further to reduce regression errors., S. F. J. Langer,., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) core is critical in the control of motivated behaviors. The muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) modulating the excitatory inputs into the NAc core have been reported to impact such behaviors. Recent studies suggest that ventral and dorsal regions of the NAc core seem to be innervated by distinct popula tions of glutamatergic projection neurons. To further examine mAChRs modulation of these glutamatergic inputs to the NAc core, we employed intracellular recordings in rat NAc coronal slice preparation to characterize: 1) the effects of muscarine, an mAChRs agonist, on membrane properties of the NAc core neurons; 2) depolarizing synaptic potentials (DPSP) elicited by ventral and dorsal focal electrical stimuli; and 3) paired-pulse response with paired-pulse stimulation. Here we report that the paired-pulse ratio (PPR) elicited by dorsal stimuli was grea ter than that elicited by ventral stimuli. Bath application of muscarine (1-30 μ M) decreased both ventral and dorsal DPSP in a concentration-dependent manner, with no effect on electrophysiological properties of NAc core neurons. Muscarine at 30 μ M also elicited larger depression of dorsal DPSP than ventral DPSP. Moreover, muscarine increased the PPR of both dorsal and ventral DPSP. These data indicate that the glutamatergic afferent fibers traversing the dorsal and ventral NAc are separate, and that differential decrease of distinct afferent excitatory neurotransmission onto NAc core neurons may be mediated by presynaptic mechanisms., X. Jiang ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Oxidative stress and apoptosis are proposed mechanisms of cellular injury in studies of xenobiotic hepatotoxicity. This study is focused on addressing the mutual relationship and early signals of these mechanisms in the D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide (D-GalN/LPS) hepatotoxicity model, with the help of standard liver function and biochemistry tests, histology, and measurement of gene expression by RT-PCR. Intraperitoneal injection of 400 mg/kg D-GalN and 50 μg/kg LPS was able to induce hepatotoxicity in rats, as evidenced by significant increases in liver enzymes (ALT, AST) and raised bilirubin levels in plasma. Heme oxygenase-1 and nitric oxide synthase-2 gene expressions were significantly increa sed, along with levels of their products, bilirubin and nitrite. Th e gene expression of glutathione peroxidase 1 remained unchanged, whereas a decrease in superoxide dismutase 1 gene expression was noted. Furthermore, the significant increase in the gene expression of apoptotic genes Bid, Bax and caspase-3 indicate early activation of apoptotic pathways, which was confirmed by histological evaluation. In contrast, the measured caspase-3 activity remained unchanged. Overall, the results have revealed differential oxidative stress and apoptotic responses, which deserves further investigations in this hepatotoxicity model., N. Lekić ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
We have investigated the role of m- and k-opioid receptors in the central control of preovulatory LH and FSH release in the proestrous rat. Animals were anesthetized with chloral hydrate at 14:00 h on proestrus day. Following femoral artery cannulation, they were mounted in a stereotaxic apparatus. Morphine and U-50488H (benzene-acetamide methane sulphonate) were infused intracerebroventricularly either alone or in combination with naloxone and MR1452, respectively. Controls received sterile saline alone. Blood samples were obtained at hourly intervals between 15:00 h and 17:00 h. Plasma LH and FSH levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Morphine did not significantly change plasma LH levels at 15:00 h and 16:00 h sampling intervals. A significant increase was observed at 17:00 h compared to the controls (p<0.05). U-50488H significantly increased LH levels at 16:00 h and 17:00 h (p<0.05). The co-administration of naloxone and MR1452 with m- and k-agonist had no significant effect on LH levels at any sampling interval. In all groups, LH levels showed a linear rise over the sampling period between 15:00 h and 17:00 h. None of the treatments significantly altered plasma FSH levels which however, declined towards the end of the afternoon surge. In conclusion, we suggest that the secretion of LH and FSH is differentially regulated by m- and k-opioid receptors. It is thought that in all groups chloral hydrate interfered with the LH surge secretory systems., S. Kumru, M. Şimşek, B. Yilmaz, E. Sapmaz, S. Kutlu, S. Sandal, S. Canpolat., and Obsahuje bibliografii
a1_With hypoxic stress, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are elevated and their responses are altered in skeletal muscles of plateau animals [China Qinghai-Tibetan plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae )] as compared with control animals [normal lowland Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats]. The results indicate that HIF-1α and VEGF are engaged in physiological functions under hypoxic environment. The purpose of the current study was to examine the protein levels of VEGF receptor subtypes (VEGFRs: VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3) in the end organs, namely skeletal muscle, heart and lung in response to hypoxic stress. ELISA and Western blot analysis were employed to determine HIF-1α and the protein expression of VEGFRs in control animals and plateau pikas. We further blocked HIF-1α signal to determine if HIF-1α regulates alternations in VEGFRs in those tissues. We hypothesized that responsiveness of VEGFRs in the major end organs of plateau animals is differential with insult of hypoxic stress and is modulated by low oxygen sensitive HIF-1α. Our results show that hypoxic stress induced by exposure of lower O2 for 6 h significantly increased the levels of VEGFR-2 in skeletal muscle, heart and lung and the increases were amplified in plateau pikas. Our results also demonstrate that hypoxic stress enhanced VEGFR-3 in lungs of plateau animals. Nonetheless, no significant alternations in VEGFR-1 were observed in those tissues with hypoxic stress. Moreover, we observed decreases of VEGFR-2 in skeletal muscle, heart and lung; and decreases of VEGFR-3 in lung following HIF-1α inhibition. Overall, our findings suggest that in plateau animals 1) responsiveness of VEGFRs is different under hypoxic environment; 2) amplified VEGFR-2 response appears in skeletal muscle, heart and lung, and enhanced VEGFR-3 response is mainly observed in lung; 3) HIF-1α plays a regulatory role in the levels of VEGFRs. Our results provide the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for hypoxic environment in plateau animals, having an impact on research of physiological and ecological adaptive responses to acute or chronic hypoxic stress in humans who living at high attitude and who live at a normal sea level but suffer from hypoxic disorders., H.-C. Xie, J.-G. Li, J.-P. He., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Difuzně vážené zobrazení tkání je zásadní součástí vyšetřovacích protokolů magnetické rezonance. Snížení jeho kvality na 3T přístrojích v porovnání s 1, 5T je při použití konvenčních metod náběru dat významné a vyžaduje hledání nových postupů. Technika RESOLVE (REeadout Segmentation Of Long Variable Echo-trains) představuje volbu, která zmenšuje geometrické distorze a poskytuje vyšší prostorové rozlišení obrazu, nicméně při prodloužené době vyšetření., Diffusion-weighted tissue imaging is very important part of magnetic resonance examination protocols. There is significant decrease of its quality in 3T compared to 1,5T machines if conventional techniques of data collections are used, and new methods are needed to be applied. RESOLVE (REadout Segmentation Of Long Variable Echo-trains) technique represents an option reducing geometric distortions and providing higher spatial resolution, however, with prolonged examination duration., Radek Tupý, Jiří Ferda, Radek Süss, Jan Kaster, and Literatura
Permo-Carboniferous and Cretaceous sediments cover the main tectonostratigraphic units of the crystalline basement in NE Bohemia. Within the activities of “Research Centre for Advanced remedial Technologies and Processes” the Czech Geological Survey revises the boreholes and geophysical investigations in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin and adjacent areas. One part of the research is a compilation of pre-Cretaceous relief of the basement including the crystalline basement and Permo-Carboniferous relief. The digital elevation model uses all boreholes from the Czech Geological Survey-Geofond database, previous geophysical interpretation and the recent surface of the individual geological units defined from detailed geological mapping. The final model reflects well the evolution and recent position of several tectonic blocks and subsequent reprocessing of the information about basement rocks enables compilation of the ´solid´ geological map., Zuzana Skácelová, Bedřich Mlčoch and Zuzana Tasáryová., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Correlation of boreholes and geophysical data provides the framework for 3D modelling of the crystalline basement and the Permo-Carboniferous volcano-sedimentary strata in the Mnichovo Hradiště Basin. The knowledge of depth of the individual interfaces acquired from boreholes database and interpretation of the seismic profiles enabled construction of 3D models. The Stráž crystalline block has bounded the Mnichovo Hradiště Basin on the north, its elongation is in NNW-SSE direction and maximal depth has reached near Sobotka. Its second deepest part known as Mcely or Sukorady sub-basin has been detected southeast of Mladá Boleslav. The negative gravity anomaly in the Mimoň- Český Dub- Turnov- Mnichovo Hradiště area indicated presence of „light“ granitic rocks in the crystalline complex. Moreover, the highest volume of rhyolite ignimbrites with a thickness of up to 180 m is concentrated in Permo-Carboniferous volcano-sedimentary strata in this negative gravity anomaly area, which can be related to a rather deep Late Paleozoic volcanic source (up to a depth of about 10 km)., Zuzana Skácelová, Bedřich Mlčoch and Zuzana Tasáryová., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In our study, the circadian blood pressure (BP) rhythm was studied in subjects with asymptomatic and normotensive pheochromocytoma. We have therefore performed 24-hour BP monitoring not only in 6 subjects with asymptomatic pheochromocytoma, but also in 33 patients with symptomatic pheochromocytoma and in 10 normotensive subjects, who served as a control group. Circadian BP rhythm was expressed by assessing a relative night-time BP decline. We found a similar BP rhythm, catecholamine excretion and tumor size in subjects with both forms of pheochromocytoma. Subjects with asymptomatic pheochromocytoma had a significantly lower night-time systolic BP decline (P=0.01) and diastolic BP decline (P=0.006) than normotensive controls. We conclude that the attenuated night-time BP decline in normotensive and asymptomatic subjects with pheochromocytoma might be a possible sign of partial desensitization of the cardiovascular system to catecholamines., T. Zelinka, J. Widimský, J. Weisserová., and Obsahuje bibliografii