Apricot breeding at the Faculty of Horticulture in Lednice

The aim of the apricot-breeding program in the Horticultural Faculty in Lednice, that has been developed since 1981, is to obtain new adaptable cultivars, which combine most of the valuable biological traits. Standard breeding techniques, such as crossing by emasculation and hand pollination, self-pollination and open pollination, were employed. A total of 1.154 crossings were produced from more than 110 different parents. So far more than 20,000 seedlings have been obtained, of which about 13,000 have already been evaluated. The most interesting selections were grafted and planted in trial orchards (we now have more than 650 elite genotypes). Ten of these have already been registered, and further promising new hybrids have been submitted for registration and law right protection (Betinka, Candela, Sophia and Adriana). The basic prerequisite for the initiation of the breeding program was a large collection of genetic resources, established and gradually supplemented since the 1970s. At the present time, we preserve and manage more than 300 accessions of apricot trees. In the frame of the descriptive work of the genetic resources and in order to use in breeding, a collection of apricots has been evaluated. We selected the genotypes and characters relating to an increased level of adaptation to the environment.O

Estudio comparativo del bloqueo anestésico del nervio ciático con ropivacaína 0,5% por vía medio-femoral versus poplítea lateral

Introducción: El bloqueo anestésico/analgésico del nervio ciático por vía medio-femoral es una técnica nueva que se ha utilizado para la analgesia postoperatoria de la cirugía de rodilla. Su mayor ventaja es que se puede realizar en decúbito supino, evitando el decúbito prono necesario en otras técnicas de abordaje, y que obliga al paciente a soportar dolor durante su realización. Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar la eficacia, tiempo de latencia y grado de aceptación del paciente entre el bloqueo anestésico/analgésico del nervio ciático realizado por vía medio-femoral y el bloqueo ciático lateral a nivel poplíteo en pacientes sometidos a cirugía de la extremidad inferior. Métodos: En este estudio de tipo aleatorio y prospectivo, se incluyeron 63 pacientes que iban a ser intervenidos quirúrgicamente de la extremidad inferior. En el grupo PB 32 pacientes recibieron un bloqueo ciático lateral a nivel poplíteo, mientras que en el grupo MF 31 pacientes recibieron el mismo bloqueo pero a nivel medio-femoral lateral. En ambos grupos la dosis de anestésico local administrada fue de 30 mi de ropivacaína al 0,5%. Resultados: La calidad del bloqueo fue similar en ambos grupos. Los tiempos de latencia del bloqueo (desde el final del bloqueo al inicio de su efecto) tanto sensitivo como motor fueron significativamente menores en el grupo MF que en el grupo PB (tabla 2). Sin embargo no hubo diferencia estadística en la duración del bloqueo sensitivo y motor entre ambos grupos. NO hubo tampoco diferencia en la dificultad de realización del bloqueo entre ellos. El grado de molestia para el paciente durante la inserción de la aguja de bloqueo fue similar. La tolerancia al manguito de isquemia fue mejor en el grupo MF, pero sin llegar a niveles de significación estadística. Medicina Balear 2004; 18-25 Conclusión: El abordaje medio-femoral del nervio ciático para cirugía de tobillo y pie, proporciona una anestesia eficaz comparable al abordaje poplíteo lateral. Esta nueva técnica es simple y segura, y proporciona una analgesia postoperatoria tan efectiva como la obtenida con el abordaje poplíteo lateral

Influencia ALR sobre pronóstico postoperatorio en cirugía no-oncológica

Hoy en día, la anestesia regional, y en particular el tratamiento del dolor agudo, dispone de una serie de analgésicos como los opioides, el acetaminofén o los medicamentos antiinflamatorios no-esteroideos (NSAID) que son conocidos bajo el término de analgesia multimodal. La literatura médica está llena de propuestas para minimizar el dolor postoperatorio siendo la anestesia multimodal un aspecto importante de la anestesia regional. Sabemos que en las intervenciones quirúrgicas se desencadenan un cúmulo de reacciones físicas que en la fase postoperatoria da lugar a una reacción catabólica. Dependiendo de esta reacción y de la eficacia de las medidas disponibles para impedir un estado catabólico, tendremos resultados más o menos favorables; la anestesia regional puede prevenir o influir positivamente en la iniciación de una respuesta catabólica siempre y cuando se haga uso de ella con tiempo suficiente antes de la cirugía y se prolongue como mínimo unas 48 horas o más después de una intervención

Renal localization and regulation by dietary phosphate of the MCT14 orphan transporter

MCT14 is an orphan transporter belonging to the SLC16 transporter family mediating the transport of monocarboxylates, aromatic amino acids, creatine, and thyroid hormones. The expression, tissue localization, regulation, and function of MCT14 are unknown. In mouse MCT14 mRNA abundance is highest in kidney. Using a newly developed and validated antibody, MCT14 was localized to the luminal membrane of the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle colocalizing in the same cells with uromodulin and NKCC2. MCT14 mRNA and protein was found to be highly regulated by dietary phosphate intake in mice being increased by high dietary phosphate intake at both mRNA and protein level. In order to identify the transport substrate(s), we expressed MCT14 in Xenopus laevis oocytes where MCT14 was integrated into the plasma membrane. However, no transport was discovered for the classic substrates of the SLC16 family nor for phosphate. In summary, MCT14 is an orphan transporter regulated by phosphate and highly enriched in kidney localizing to the luminal membrane of one specific nephron segment

Enseñanza de Anestesia Regional

La importancia que tiene la formación de anestesiólogos en anestesia regional es mundialmente reconocida. Cada vez hay más médicos que utilizan los bloqueos regionales para sus pacientes y eligen para sus cirugías la anestesia regional. Existe documentación de los resultados obtenidos en el perfeccionamiento de su uso como por ejemplo, en obstetricia, en el tratamiento del dolor agudo, en cirugía ambulatoria y en otros ámbitos; ello ha contribuido recientemente a aumentar su popularidad y su empleo. Pese a esta tendencia, la calidad de la formación en anestesia regional sigue siendo aún un reto tanto para los residentes como para los anestesiólogos. Una alta calidad de instrucción en anestesia regional es necesaria no solo para promover la competencia clínica sino también para desarrollar la confianza médica en la ejecución de esta técnica con seguridad y habilidad. Estudios de programas residenciales demuestran que su formación alberga buenos pronósticos e incluso las recientes directrices consensuales para becas de investigación en anestesia regional pueden mejorarla en todos los niveles. Programas académicos han empleado métodos convencionales y no convencionales para mostrar a los residentes anestesia regional en salas de operaciones, unidades de obstetricia y clínicas de dolor

Comparison of the success rate of inguinal approach with classical pubic approach for obturator nerve block in patients undergoing TURB

BACKGROUND: During transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURB) under spinal anesthesia, electrical resection of the lateral wall mass may cause violent adductor contraction and possible inadvertent bladder perforation. Therefore, obturator nerve block (ONB) is mandatory after spinal anesthesia to avoid adductor muscle contraction. We compared the success rate and efficacy of an inguinal approach, to a pubic approach for ONB. METHODS: One hundred and two patients who required ONB undergoing TURB with spinal anesthesia were included in this study. After spinal anesthesia, ONB was performed with an inguinal approach (Group I, n = 51) or pubic approach (Group P, n = 51) using a nerve stimulator. In the pubic approach, a needle was inserted at a point 1.5 cm lateral and 1.5 cm inferior to the pubic tubercle. For the inguinal approach, a needle was inserted at the midpoint of the femoral artery and the inner margin of the adductor longus muscle 0.5 cm below the inguinal crease. If the adductor contracture had not occurred by the 3rd attempt, it was defined as a failed block. Puncture frequency, success rate, anatomical characteristics, and the presence of adductor muscle contraction during operation were evaluated. RESULTS: The success rate of ONB was higher in group I compared to group P (96.1% vs. 84.0%, P = 0.046) and the frequency of needle attempts was lower in group I than in group P (1.8 ± 0.9 vs. 1.3 ± 0.6, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The inguinal approach for ONB appears to be technically easier and offers certain anatomical advantages when compared to the pubic approach.ope

The Targeting of Plasmalemmal Ceramide to Mitochondria during Apoptosis

Ceramide is a key lipid mediator of cellular processes such as differentiation, proliferation, growth arrest and apoptosis. During apoptosis, ceramide is produced within the plasma membrane. Although recent data suggest that the generation of intracellular ceramide increases mitochondrial permeability, the source of mitochondrial ceramide remains unknown. Here, we determine whether a stress-mediated plasmalemmal pool of ceramide might become available to the mitochondria of apoptotic cells. We have previously established annexin A1—a member of a family of Ca2+ and membrane-binding proteins—to be a marker of ceramide platforms. Using fluorescently tagged annexin A1, we show that, upon its generation within the plasma membrane, ceramide self-associates into platforms that subsequently invaginate and fuse with mitochondria. An accumulation of ceramide within the mitochondria of apoptotic cells was also confirmed using a ceramide-specific antibody. Electron microscopic tomography confirmed that upon the formation of ceramide platforms, the invaginated regions of the plasma membrane extend deep into the cytoplasm forming direct physical contacts with mitochondrial outer membranes. Ceramide might thus be directly transferred from the plasma membrane to the mitochondrial outer membrane. It is conceivable that this “kiss-of-death” increases the permeability of the mitochondrial outer membrane thereby triggering apoptosis

The alpha(2)delta auxiliary subunit reduces affinity of omega-conotoxins for recombinant N-type (Ca(v)2.2) calcium channels

The omega-conotoxins from fish-hunting cone snails are potent inhibitors of voltage-gated calcium channels. The omega-conotoxins MVIIA and CVID are selective N-type calcium channel inhibitors with potential in the treatment of chronic pain. The beta and alpha(2)delta-1 auxiliary subunits influence the expression and characteristics of the alpha(1B) subunit of N-type channels and are differentially regulated in disease states, including pain. In this study, we examined the influence of these auxiliary subunits on the ability of the omega-conotoxins GVIA, MVIIA, CVID and analogues to inhibit peripheral and central forms of the rat N-type channels. Although the beta3 subunit had little influence on the on- and off-rates of omega-conotoxins, coexpression of alpha(2)delta with alpha(1B) significantly reduced on- rates and equilibrium inhibition at both the central and peripheral isoforms of the N-type channels. The alpha(2)delta also enhanced the selectivity of MVIIA, but not CVID, for the central isoform. Similar but less pronounced trends were also observed for N-type channels expressed in human embryonic kidney cells. The influence of alpha(2)delta was not affected by oocyte deglycosylation. The extent of recovery from the omega-conotoxin block was least for GVIA, intermediate for MVIIA, and almost complete for CVID. Application of a hyperpolarizing holding potential ( - 120 mV) did not significantly enhance the extent of CVID recovery. Interestingly, [R10K] MVIIA and [O10K] GVIA had greater recovery from the block, whereas [K10R] CVID had reduced recovery from the block, indicating that position 10 had an important influence on the extent of omega-conotoxin reversibility. Recovery from CVID block was reduced in the presence of alpha(2)delta in human embryonic kidney cells and in oocytes expressing alpha(1B-b). These results may have implications for the antinociceptive properties of omega-conotoxins, given that the alpha(2)delta subunit is up-regulated in certain pain states