Glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) contributes to incretin effect of insulin secretion which is impaired in Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to introduce a simple meal test for evaluation of GIP secretion and action and to examine GIP changes in Type 2 diabetic patients. Seventeen Type 2 diabetic patients, 10 obese non-diabetic and 17 nonobese control persons have been examined before and after 30, 60 and 90 min stimulation by meal test. Serum concentrations of insulin, C-peptide and GIP were estimated during the test. Impaired GIP secretion was found in Type 2 diabetic patients as compared with obese non-diabetic and non-obese control persons. The AUCGIP during 90 min of the meal stimulation was significantly lower in diabetic patients than in other two groups (p<0.03). Insulin concentration at 30 min was lower in diabetic than in non-diabetic persons and the GIP action was delayed. The ΔIRI/ΔGIP ratio increased during the test in diabetic patients, whereas it progressively decreased in obese and nonobese control persons. Simple meal test could demonstrate impaired GIP secretion and delayed insulin secretion in Type 2 diabetic patients as compared to obese non-diabetic and nonobese healthy control individuals., J. Škrha., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Patch clamp method developed more than 30 years ago is widely used for investigation of cellular excitability manifested as transmembrane ionic current and/or generation of action potentials. This technique could be applied to measurement of ionic currents flowing through individual (single) ion channels or through the whole assembly of ion channels expressed in the whole cell. Whole cell configuration is more common for measurement of ion currents and the only one enabling measurement of action potentials. This method allows detailed analysis of mechanisms and structural determinants of voltagedependent gating of ion channels as well as regulation of channel activity by intracellular signaling pathways and pharmacological agents., M. Karmažínová, L'. Lacinová., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The multi-functional proteins, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and leptin were present in seminal plasma from different species. Concentrations of IGF-I in equine and porcine semen were 20 and 17.5 ng/ml, respectively. Seminal plasma concentrations of leptin were 1 ng/ml in human and 11 ng/ml in porcine samples., B. R. Lackey, S. L. Gray, D. M. Henricks., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Vasotrac monitor provides non-invasive near-continuous blood pressure monitoring and is designed to be an alternative to direct intra-arterial blood pressure (BP) measurement. As compared to radial artery invasive BP and upper arm noninvasive BP, Vasotrac readings have been found to have a good agreement with them. However, discrepancies have been reported when rapid changes in BP exist. In the present study we compared BP measured by the Vasotrac monitor on the radial artery with that recorded on the finger arteries by the differential oscillometric device allowing measurement on the beat-to-beat basis. Comparisons were performed on the mean arterial pressure (MAP) level. Special attention was paid to the signal conditioning before comparison of pressures of different temporal resolution. Altogether 383 paired MAP measurements were made in 14 healthy subjects. Based on all 383 paired measurements, the MAP values measured at the radial artery at rest were 4.8±6.0 mm Hg higher than those measured on fingers. The observed difference between the Vasotrac and differential oscillometric device can be explained by different measurement sites. This result is consistent with previous investigations, and the Vasotrac monitor can be considered to adequately track relatively rapid MAP changes on the radial artery. Attention should be paid to a proper signal conditioning before comparison of results obtained by different devices., K. Jagomägi ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
A mitral allograft is us ed exceptionally in the mitral, as well as in the tricuspid position, mostly as an experimental surgical procedure. The authors decided to evaluate the possibility of inserting a cryopreserved mitral allograft into the tricuspid position in a sheep experimental model. Within the framework of this experimental project the mechanical properties of the cryopreserved mitral allograft were tested. A novel methodology studying the functional unit composed of mitral annulus, leaflet, chordae tendinaea, and papillary muscle is presented. A five-parameter Maxwell model was applied to characterize the viscoelastic behavior of sheep mitral valves. A control group of 39 fresh mitral specimens and a test group of 13 cryopreserved mitral allografts from tissue bank were tested. The testing protocol consisted of six loading cycles with 1 mm elongation every 5 min. There was no significant difference in the mean values of the determined parameters (p> 0.05) which confirms the main hypothesis that cryopreservation does not influence significantly material parameters characterizing the tissue mechanics. Slight discrepancy is observed in variances of viscous parameters suggesting that the values of the test group may be spread over larger interval due to the treatment., J. Hlubocký ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
a1_Mechanical properties of scaffolds seeded with mesenchymal stem cells used for cartilage repair seem to be one of the critical factors in possible joint resurfacing. In this paper, the effect of adding hyaluronic acid, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles or chitosan nanofibers into the cross-linked collagen I on the mechanical response of the lyophilized porous scaffold has been investigated in the dry state at 37 oC under tensile loading. Statistical significance of the results was evaluated using ANOVA analysis. The results showed that the addition of hyaluronic acid significantly (p<<0.05) reduced the tensile elastic modulus and enhanced the strength and deformation to failure of the modified cross-linked collagen I under the used test conditions. On the other hand, addition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and chitosan nanofibers, respectively, increased the elastic modulus of the modified collagen ten-fold and four-fold, respectively. Hydroxyapatite caused significant reduction in the ultimate deformation at break while chitosan nanofibers enhanced the ultimate deformation under tensile loading substantially (p<<0.05). The ultimate tensile deformation was significantly (p<<0.05) increased by addition of the chitosan nanofibers. The enhanced elastic modulus of the scaffold was translated into enhanced resistance of the porous scaffolds against mechanical load compared to scaffolds based on cross-linked neat collagen or collagen with hyaluronic acid with similar porosity. It can be concluded that enhancing the rigidity of the compact scaffold material by adding rigid chitosan nanofibers can improve the resistance of the porous scaffolds against compressive loading, which can provide more structural protection to the seeded mesenchymal stem cells when the construct is implanted into a lesion., a2_Moreover, scaffolds with chitosan nanofibers seemed to enhance cell growth compared to the neat collagen I when tested in vitro as well as the scaffold stability, extending its resorption to more than 10 weeks., J. Jančář, A. Slovíková, E. Amler, P. Krupa, H. Kecová, L. Plánka, P. Gál, A. Nečas., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In the article, the actions of homocysteine (Hcys) and its metabolite - cyclic thioester – homocysteine thiolactone (HTL) on complex process of hemostasis, which regulates the flowing properties of blood, are described. Possible interaction of Hcys and HTL with endothelial cells, blood platelets, plasmatic fibrinogen and plasminogen, as the important major components of hemostasis are also discussed. The modification of hemostatic proteins (N-homocysteinylated or S-homocysteinylated proteins) induced by Hcys or its thiolactone, and links of homocysteine or homocysteine thiolactone to •NO metabolism seem to be the main reason of biotoxicty of homocysteine in cardiovascular diseases., K. Karolczak, B. Olas., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
We have studied the mechanism of Na+ deprivation-induced catecholamine secretion from freshly isolated bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Na+ deprivation-induced catecholamine secretion depended on free extracellular Ca2+ concentrations and was almost parallel to 45Ca2+ influx into the cells under various experimental conditions. Furthermore, Na+ deprivation-induced 45Ca2+ influx and catecholamine secretion were actually induced by a relative Na+ concentration gradient across the plasma membrane, but not by simple omission of Na+ from the medium. These results indicate that the deprivation of Na+ from the medium changes the relative Na+ gradient across the plasma membrane and results in Ca2+ influx via a reverse mode of Na+-Ca2+ exchange rather than by inducing Ca2+ entry through Ca2+ channels by eliminating the competition between extracellular Na+ and Ca2+., M. Isosaki, T. Nakashima., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Neurogenic pulmonary edema is a life-threatening complication, known for almost 100 years, but its etiopathogenesis is still not completely understood. This review summarizes current knowledge about the etiology and pathophysiology of neurogenic pulmonary edema. The roles of systemic sympathetic discharge, central nervous system trigger zones, intracranial pressure, inflammation and anesthesia in the etiopathogenesis of neurogenic pulmonary edema are considered in detail. The management of the patient and experimental models of neurogenic pulmonary edema are also discussed., J. Šedý, J. Zicha, J. Kuneš, P. Jendelová, E. Syková., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Many aspects of protein function regulation require specific protein-protein interactions to carry out the exact biochemical and cellular functions. The highly conserved members of the 14-3-3 protein family mediate such interactions and through binding to hundreds of other proteins provide multitude of regulatory functions, thus playing key roles in many cellular processes. The 14-3-3 protein binding can affect the function of the target protein in many ways including the modulation of its enzyme activity, its subcellular localization, its structure and stability, or its molecular interactions. In this minireview, we focus on mechanisms of the 14-3- 3 protein-dependent regulation of three important 14-3-3 binding partners: yeast neutral trehalase Nth1, regulator of G-protein signaling 3 (RGS3), and phosducin., V. Obsilova ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy