Remodeled pulmonary arteries return to normal structural conditions after the increase in pulmonary artery flow resistance is reversed. We studied whether proteolysis of extracellular matrix proteins and apoptosis occur during reversal of remodeling produced by chronic hypoxia in the rat. Main pulmonary arteries were removed at different times during a 10-day period of exposure to 10% O2 and 14 days after return to air. Content and rates of degradation of collagen and elastin as well as immunoreactive collagenase in tissue and isolated mast cells were measured. Immunoblots for collagenase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) were performed. Apoptosis was assessed by cleavage of DNA and TUNEL assay. Excess collagen and elastin present at 10 days of hypoxia decreased to near normal levels after 3-5 days of air. Transient increases in collagenolytic and elastolytic enzyme activities accompanied the rapid decrease in matrix proteins. Mast cells containing collagenase accumulated in remodeled pulmonary arteries, and the active form of collagenase appeared at the time of peak proteolytic activity. TIMP increased during remodeling. Apoptosis was maximal 3 days after return to air. Our results suggest that activation of enzymes, which degrade matrix proteins, and apoptosis play a role in resolution of vascular remodeling., D. J. Riley, S. Thakker-Varia, F. J. Wilson, G. J. Poiani, C. A. Tozzi., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Fertilization process is a very clever and unique process comprising some essential steps resulting in formation of zygote. Tetraspanin CD9 is considered to be a serious candidate molecule participating in these events. The importance of CD9 has been discussed in relation to acrosome reaction, sperm-binding, sperm-penetration, sperm-egg fusion and eventually, egg activation. The abundant expression of CD9 oocyte plasma membrane and the presence of CD9-containing vesicles in the perivitelline space of intact oocytes have been confirmed. Despite the fact that majority of authors analyzed CD9 expressed on oocytes, several studies considered the function of sperm CD9, too. To understand CD9 involvement, various conditions of in vitro fertilization (IVF) assays using polyclonal as well as monoclonal antibodies or knockout mice were carried out. However, ambiguous data have been obtained about the importance of CD9 in sperm-egg binding or fusion. Although the current findings did not prove any hypothesis, the indispensable role of CD9 in fertilization process was not excluded and the precise role of CD9 remains unexplained., J. Jankovičová, M. Simon, J. Antalíková, P. Cupperová, K. Michalková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
V seriálu, který má za cíl čtenáře provést všemi čtyřmi fázemi zodpovídání otázek dotazníkového průzkumu, se tedy ocitáme v kroku druhém. Ačkoli, jak bylo naznačeno, problematika vybavování informací z paměti se týká také otázek postojových, na tomto místě se budeme věnovat především dotazům faktografickým. Na využívání vzpomínek za účelem vytvoření názoru/postoje lze aplikovat stejné poznatky jako na otázky po faktech nebo událostech; situace, kdy dotazovaní z paměti vyvolávají již předem připravený postoj, pak bude pojednána v souvislosti s celkovou teorií postoje v následující části seriálu, neboť se věcně váže spíše k problematice rozhodování., The article stands as a second part of a series about the question answering process during standardized surveys and elaborates the memory retrieval phase. At the beginning the main psychological conceptions of memory are introduced (structure, traits, information types), which are then used for the analysis of the function of memory during survey answering process. The second part deals with the issue of factual information retrieval: the topic of initial encoding of the information into the memory; the role of cognitive keys in case of further retrieval; and consequences of those for the possibilities of the standardized inquiry. The attention is paid also to the problem of inaccessible information and to the usage of more general parts of autobiographical memory (schemas, scenarios etc.) instead of original entries. The third part elaborates the issues of temporal information retrieval like strategies used by respondents or biases emerging in case of them (e.g. seam eff ect and telescoping)., Jiří Vinopal., and Seznam literatury
Cíl: Srovnání senzitivity peroperační ultrasonografie (IOUS), CT, MR a PET/CT při detekci jaterních metastáz kolorektálního karcinomu. Metodika: Retrospektivně jsme hodnotili soubor pacientů operovaných pro metastázy kolorektálního karcinomu v letech 2009-2014 na chirurgické klinice v Plzni a srovnávali jsme výsledky předoperačních diagnostických metod (CT, MR či PET/CT) s nálezem IOUS, kterou bereme za zlatý standard. Zjišťovali jsme počet dodatečných lézí objevených až během operačního zákroku prostřednictvím IOUS a vypočítali jsme senzitivitu a specificitu uvedených metod. Výsledky: Naše výsledky ukazují, že předoperační diagnostické metody mají ve srovnání s IOUS senzitivitu/specificitu: CT 82,2 %/93,1 %, MR 89,3 %/100 %, PET/CT 82,0 %/96,1 % a relativně nízkou negativní prediktivní hodnotu CT 54,9 %, MR 66, 6 %, PET/ CT 52,0 %. Peroperačně bylo nalezeno 18 % dodatečných lézí oproti předoperačnímu CT či PET/CT a 10 % oproti MR. Závěr: IOUS je metodou poskytující aktuální pohled na játra v okamžiku operace a dokáže s vysokou přesností zhodnotit lokalizaci a velikost řešeného nádoru. Zároveň je nejsenzitivnější v detekci drobných lézí, které nemusí být předoperační zobrazovací metodou zachyceny., Aim: Comparison of the sensitivity of intraoperative ultrasonography, CT, MRI and PET/CT in the detection of colorectal cancer metastases. Method: In cohort of patients which were operated for liver metastases of colorectal carcinoma were retrospectively corelated results of preoperative imaging (CT, MRI and PET/CT) with intraoperative ultrasound. We searched for additional lesions that were invisible in CT, MRI or PET/CT. Sensitivity and specificity of CT, PET/CT and MRI was calculated. Results: Our results show that preoperative diagnostic methods are compared with the IOUS lower sensitivity/specificity: CT 82.2%/93.1%, MR 89.3%/100%, PET/CT 82.0%/96.1% and low negative predictive value CT 54.9%, MR 66.6%, PET/CT 52.0%. Intraoperatively we found 18% additional lesions compared to preoperative CT or PET/ CT and 10% compared to preoperative MRI. Conclusion: IOUS is a method that provides synoptic view of the liver at the time of the surgery and it is able to show accurately size and location of operated tumor. It is considered as the most sensitive method in detection of small lesions that maybe missed in preoperative imaging., Eva Korčáková, Hynek Mírka, Tomáš Skalický, Vladislav Třeška, Václav Liška, Jan Baxa, Eva Ferdová, Martina Nováková, Václav Skála, and Literatura
Text představuje aktivní role-playing jako výzkumnou experimentální metodu v sociálních vědách. Zasazuje role-playing do rámce simulačních výzkumných metod, rozkrývá jeho epistemologii a dosavadní metodologická uchopení zejména v sociální psychologii. Hlavní linií textu je obhajoba epistemologických kvalit metody a experimentu v sociálních vědách obecně. Inspiračním zdrojem je zde na jedné straně Latourova kvalitativní sociologie asociací, tázající se po původu sociality a problematizující samotný předmět sociálních věd, tj. sociálno. A na druhé straně přístupy naturalizující sociálně-vědné výzkumy propojením s kognitivní vědou. V tomto ohledu je naším klíčovým předpokladem pro smysluplné uchopení sociální reality v její simulované podobě shodnost kognitivních mechanismů skutečného i simulovaného jednání. V pojetí textu jsou oba zdroje spojeny jejich akcentem na tematizaci sociálna jako inter-psychologického fenoménu mezi tradiční mikro a makro úrovní. Analogií s Petriho miskou text promýšlí posunutí původní metody situační sociální psychologie směrem k využití konstruovaných diegetických liminálních situací jako svého druhu laboratoří sociálna., Article introduces active role-playing as a research experimental method in the social sciences. It frames role-playing to the simulating research methods, opens its epistemological properites and methodological conceptions in social psyschology. Main argument constructs the defense of epistemological properties of active role-playing as an experimental method in the social sciences in general. Th e inspiring source is one the side Latour’s sociology of associations, which problematizes the very subject of social sciences, the sociality itself and on the other side the naturalizing approaches connecting social sciences and cognitive science. In this context main argument for meaningfulness of simulated social reality lies in the usage of the same cognitive mechanisms in the real and simulated social interaction. In the article perspective both sources are united by their accent on perceiving social reality as fundamentaly inter-psychological phenomenon between the traditional conpcetions micro and macro level. Through analogy of Petri dish article conpcetualizes shift of the original method of situational social psychology toward utililization of designed diegetic liminal situations as laboratories of the social., and Martin Buchtik, Tomáš Hampejs.
Mammalian P2X receptors contain 10 conserved cysteine residues in their ectodomains, which form five disulfide bonds (SS1-5). Here, we analyzed the relevance of these disulfide pairs in rat P2X4 receptor function by replacing one or both cysteines with alanine or threonine, expressing receptors in HEK293 cells and studying their responsiveness to ATP in the absence and presence of ivermectin, an allostenic modulator of these channels. Response to ATP was not altered when both cysteines forming the SS3 bond (C132-C159) were replaced with threonines. Replacem ent of SS1 (C116-C165), SS2 (C126-C149) and SS4 (C217-C227), but not SS5 (C261-C270), cysteine pairs with threonines resulted in de creased sensitivity to ATP and faster deactivation times. The maximum current amplitude was reduced in SS2, SS4 and SS5 double mutants and could be partially rescued by ivermectin in SS2 and SS5 double mutants. This response pattern was also observed in numerous single residue mutants, but receptor function was not affected when the 217 cysteine was replaced with threonine or arginine or when the 261 cysteine was replaced with alanine. These results suggest that the SS1, SS2 and SS4 bonds contribute substantially to the structure of the ligand binding pocket, while the SS5 bond located towards the transmembrane domain contributes to receptor gating., M. B. Rokic, V. Tvrdoňová, V. Vávra, M. Jindřichová, T. Obšil, S. S. Stojilkovic, H. Zemková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Steroid sulfatase (EC 3.1.6.2) is an important enzyme involved in steroid hormone metabolism. It catalyzes the hydrolysis of steroid sulfates into their unconjugated forms. This action rapidly changes their physiological and biochemical properties, especially in brain and neural tissue. As a result, any imbalance in steroid sulfatase activity may remarkably influence physiological levels of active steroid hormones with serious consequences. Despite that the structure of the enzyme has been completely resolved there is still not enough information about the regulation of its expression and action in various tissues. In the past few years research into the enzyme prope ties and regulations has been strongly driven by the discovery of its putative role in the indirect stimulation of the growth of hormone-dependent tumors of the breast and prostate., L. Kříž, M. Bičíková, R. Hampl., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy