One explanation of the mechanism of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) suggests that hypoxia shifts the redox status of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell towards a more reduced state, through changes in the redox couples and the activated oxygen species generation. The outward K+ current is then reduced and the membrane depolarized, leading to Ca++ influx through the voltage dependent Ca++ channels and vasoconstriction. The response of both pulmonary and systemic vessels to hypoxia may depend on the expression of different K+ channels in the two sites. While the oxygen sensor in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells may be the delayed rectifier K+ channel, in the systemic arteries, hyperpolarization of the smooth muscle cell membrane, leading to vasodilatation, probably represents the effect of hypoxia in opening ATP-sensitive and Ca++-dependent K+ channels. The similarities between oxygen sensing mechanisms in several oxygen sensing cells (pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell, carotid body type 1 cell, neuroepithelial body) are striking. It is very likely that the mechanisms by which hypoxia is sensed at the molecular level are highly conserved and tightly regulated.
Hypoxic vasoconstriction (HPV) has been shown to consist of a biphasic contraction change. The first phase of the hypoxic response peaks at approximately five minutes. The second phase is at about 30 minutes. The force of contraction of both phases of HPV were found to be significantly greater in pulmonary resistance vessels (PRV) than in pulmonary artery (PA) (P<0.01). The endothelium modulates the hypoxic response, especially of the second phase of HPV (68 % reduction in PRV) (P<0.05). In Ca2+-free solution, the first peak and the second peak of HPV were reduced to 11 and 32 % contraction in PRV and to 26 and 21 % contraction in PA. A calcium channel antagonist (amlodipine) caused significant dose-dependent inhibition of the first phase of HPV (P=0.001), with a significantly greater effect on PRV compared to PA (P<0.01). Levcromakalim caused a dose- dependent inhibition of HPV in PRV (58 % at 10 /utA). In contrast, HPV in PA was not significantly inhibited by levcromakalim. In conclusion, this study has confirmed that hypoxia induces a biphasic contractile response in isolated pulmonary arteries requiring extracellular calcium. Both amlodipine and levcromakalim inhibit hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and these agents may be of value in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
Acute liver failure (ALF) is a clinical condition with very high mortality rate. Its pathophysiological background is still poorly understood, which necessitates a search for optimal experimental ALF models with features resembling those of the human disorder. Taking into consideration reproducibility of induction of ALF, adequate animal size, cost of animals, the required time gap between insult and death of animals (“therapeutic window”), potential risk to investigator and other aspects, administration of thioacetamide (TAA) in rats is currently most recommended. However, the fundamental details of this ALF model have not yet been evaluated. This prompted us to investigate, first, the course of ALF as induced by intraperitoneal TAA at doses increasing from 175 to 700 mg/kg BW per day. The animals’ survival rate, plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities, and bilirubin and ammonia levels were determined over the follow-up period. Second, we examined whether Wistar and Lewis rats exhibit any differences in the course of ALF induced by different TAA doses. We found that the optimal dose for ALF induction in rats is 350 mg.kg-1 i.p., given as a single injection. Wistar rats proved more susceptible to the development of TAA-induced ALF compared with Lewis rats. Collectively, our present findings provide a sound methodological background for experimental studies aimed at evaluation of pathophysiology and development of new approaches in the therapy of ALF., E. Koblihová, I. Mrázová, Z. Vernerová, M. Ryska., and Obsahuje bibliografii
„Proteinase-activated“ receptor-2 (PAR-2) is a G protein-coupled transmembrane receptor with seven transmembrane domains activated by trypsin. It has been shown in the pancreatic tissue that PAR-2 is involved in duct/acinary cells secretion, arterial tonus regulation and capillary liquid content turnover under physiological conditions. These above mentioned structures play an important role during the development of acute pancreatitis and are profoundly influenced by a high concentration of trypsin enzyme after its secretion into the interstitial tissue from the basolateral aspect of acinar cells. Among the other factors, it is the increase of interstitial trypsin concentration followed rapidly by PAR-2 action on pancreatic vascular smooth muscle cells that initiates ischemic changes in pancreatic parenchyma and that finally leads to necrosis of the pancreas. Consequent reperfusion perpetuates changes leading to the acute pancreatitis development. On the contrary, PAR-2 action on both exocrine and duct structures seems to play locally a protective role during acute pancreatitis development. Moreover, PAR-2 action is not confined to the pancreas but it contributes to the systemic vascular endothelium and immune cell activation that triggers the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) contributing to an early high mortality rate in severe disease.
Pneumonia was induced in rats by instillation of carrageenin (0.5 ml of 0.7 % solution) into the trachea. Three or four days after instillation, the lungs were isolated, perfused with blood of healthy rat blood donors, and ventilated with air + 5 % C02 or with various hypoxic gas mixtures. Pulmonary vascular reactivity to acute hypoxic challenges was significantly lower in lungs of rats with pneumonia than in lungs of controls. The relationship between 02 concentration in the inspired gas and Po2 in the blood effluent from the preparation was shifted significantly to lower Po2 in lungs with pneumonia compared to control ones. These changes were not present in rats allowed to recover for 2- 3 weeks after carrageenin instillation. We suppose that blunted hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction may contribute to hypoxaemia during acute pulmonary inflammation. Decreased Po2 in the blood effluent from the isolated lungs with pneumonia implies significant increase of oxygen consumption by the cells involved in the inflammatory process.
Toxicities expressed as LD50 values of 2-dialkylaminoalkyl-(dialkylamido)-fluorophosphates for rats and mice (i.m. administration) were determined. Rats were more sensitive to these compounds than mice: LD50 values varied from 17 (rats) to 1222 (mice) ^g/kg. LD50 values at different routes of administration (i.v., i.m., s.c., p.o. and p.c.) for one derivative of this group, 2-dimethylaminoethyl-(dimethyIamido)- fluorophosphate, were determined. Depending on the route of administration, LD50 values varied from 11 (i.v.) to 190 (p.o.) pg/V.g for rats and from 27.6 (i.v.) to 222 (p o.)/rg/kg for mice, respectively. Percutaneous toxicity in rats only (LD50 = 1366//g/kg) was determined.
We hypothesized that hypertension-related myocardial remodeling characterized by hypertrophy and fibrosis might be accompanied by cell-to-cell gap junction alterations that may account for increased arrhythmogenesis. Intercellular junctions and expression of gap junction protein connexin-43 were analyzed in rat heart tissues from both spontaneous (SHR) and L-NAME model of hypertension. Isolated heart preparation was used to examine susceptibility of the heart to lethal ventricular fibrillation induced by low potassium perfusion. Ultrastructure observation revealed enhanced neoformation of side-to-side type while internalization of end-to-end type (intercalated disc-related) of gap junctions prevailed in the myocardium of rats suffering from either spontaneous or L-NAME-induced hypertension. In parallel, immunolabeling showed increased number of connexin-43 positive gap junctions in lateral cell membrane surfaces, particularly in SHR. Besides, focal loss of immunopositive signal was observed more frequently in hearts of rats treated with L-NAME. There was a significantly higher incidence of hypokalemia-induced ventricular fibrillation in hypertensive compared to normotensive rat hearts. We conclude that adaptation of the heart to hypertension-induced mechanical overload results in maladaptive gap junction remodeling that consequently promotes development of fatal arrhythmias., M. Fialová, K. Dlugošová, L. Okrouhlicová, F. Kristek, M. Manoach, N. Tribulová., and Obsahuje bibliografii a biblioigrafické údaje
In this paper, the problem of adaptive output feedback stabilization is investigated for a class of nonlinear systems with sensor uncertainty in measured output and a growth rate of polynomial-of-output multiplying an unknown constant in the nonlinear terms. By developing a dual-domination approach, an adaptive observer and an output feedback controller are designed to stabilize the nonlinear system by directly utilizing the measured output with uncertainty. Besides, two types of extension are made such that the proposed methods of adaptive output feedback stabilization can be applied for nonlinear systems with a large range of sensor uncertainty. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the correctness of the theoretical results.
Diapause is a common dormancy strategy exhibited by many species of invertebrates and insects to temporarily avoid seasonally recurring unfavourable conditions for their development, most usually in winter. Less frequently, a prolonged diapause lasting two or more years is described in species living in unpredictable environments where it is adaptive, but with significant costs. In this paper we examine the occurrence of prolonged diapause in the lycaenid butterfly Tomares ballus. Pupae of this species undergo an obligate diapause from mid-May to late January the following year. However, during our rearing experiments (from 2009 to 2016) the emergence of adults occurred sequentially and a fraction of the pupae remained in diapause for up to seven years. The annual percentage emergence after the first year of diapause was 45.6%, and only barely exceeded 50.0% in 2015. Remarkably, 12 pupae (11.4% of the initial brood) remained in diapause in their eighth year. The negative exponential equation fitted to the emergence data suggests that further emergences may occur within the next five years. Therefore, the potential for successful prolonged diapause of T. ballus pupae may be more than 10 years. The adaptive value of this strategy is discussed in relation to the effects of adverse and unpredictable weather during the flight period of the butterfly, intra-guild competition, parasitoids and changes in habitat quality. We suggest that this strategy may also be exhibited by other species of Mediterranean lycaenids., Rafael Obregón, Juan Fernández Haeger, Diego Jordano., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Adaptavní optické systémy se vyznačují schopností měnit své optické vlastnosti na požádání a v reálném čase. V tomto příspěvku jsou diskutovány základní prvky adaptivních optických systémů využívaných v astronomii ke kompenzaci vlivu atmosféry na zobrazení velkých pozemských teleskopů., Adaptive optical systems are those whose optical responses can be adjusted on demand, in real time. Here we discuss the basics of adaptive optical systems utilised in astronomy for compensation of aberrations due to atmospheric turbulence, which seriously impairs the performance of uncorrected large ground-based telescopes., Jaroslav Řeháček, Bohumil Stoklasa., and Obsahuje seznam literatury