Expression of Constitutive Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms in Varicose Vein Wall; Preliminary Results

There are conflicting findings in literature about the structural changes of the primary varicose veins. NO (a potent vasodilatator) is synthesized by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). From 3 known NOS isoforms the two are constitutional: eNOS (endothelial NOS) and nNOS (neuronal NOS). 10 varicose and 10 control vein samples were processed by standard light microscopy and immuno-histochemica techniques using rabbit polyclonal antibodies against eNOS and nNOS. Antibodies expression was evaluated semiquantitatively and proved morphometrically by 2D-image analysis. total area of NOS isoforms expressions was determined by color analysis and color digital subtraction. The results showed discontinuous and significantly lower expression of both NOS isoforms the in the tunica media of varicose veins compared with the control group. For the statistical analysis the unpaired t-test was used. Our results suppose lower NO levels in varicose vein wall, deducing that varicose dilatation is due to other mechanism, and they contradict the results of previously published similar works

Residual Stress Distribution Analysis in Advanced Materials by Neutron Diffraction: The Case of Spherical Storage Tank Butt Weld

The two-axis diffractometer SPN-100 at the Center of Accelerators and Nuclear Analytical Methods (CANAM) in Řež, is a neutron diffraction instrument dedicated to residual stress analyses in polycrystalline materials, it has recently been equipped with a new two-dimensional position sensitive detector (2D-PSD) and a six-axis robotic arm for sample positioning. Recent results of strain/stress distribution measurements with the upgraded tools are presented. The measured materials are made of C-Mn unalloyed steel used for spherical storage tank. Welding-induced residual stresses have direct influence on ductility and toughness of both weld metal and heat affected zone of the weld area, which affect the service life time of structures. Normal, transversal and longitudinal components of the stresses obtained in the vicinity of the butt weld from a spherical storage tank were measured by neutron diffraction at CANAM

Residual Stress Distribution Analysis in Advanced Materials by Neutron Diffraction: The Case of Spherical Storage Tank Butt Weld

The two-axis diffractometer SPN-100 at the Center of Accelerators and Nuclear Analytical Methods (CANAM) in Řež, is a neutron diffraction instrument dedicated to residual stress analyses in polycrystalline materials, it has recently been equipped with a new two-dimensional position sensitive detector (2D-PSD) and a six-axis robotic arm for sample positioning. Recent results of strain/stress distribution measurements with the upgraded tools are presented. The measured materials are made of C-Mn unalloyed steel used for spherical storage tank. Welding-induced residual stresses have direct influence on ductility and toughness of both weld metal and heat affected zone of the weld area, which affect the service life time of structures. Normal, transversal and longitudinal components of the stresses obtained in the vicinity of the butt weld from a spherical storage tank were measured by neutron diffraction at CANAM

First Year Dispersion of White-tailed Sea Eagles from Central Europe, Based on GPS/GSM Telemetry

Austria, Czech Republic and Hungary are located in central Europe, where the white-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (WTSEs) was one of the most frequent large raptor species during the 19th century, with substantial numbers of breeding pairs and wintering individuals. Due to landscape changes, direct persecution and intensified agriculture the population decreased dramatically in the 20th century. The species completely disappeared as a breeder from Czech Republic since at least 1920s until 1970s or even 1980s (Bělka, Horal, 2009) as well as from Austria since 1960s until the late 1990s (Probst, Peter, 2009; Probst, 2009). In Hungary, population of this once a widespread breeder (in 19th century) continually decreased until 1970s when a population minimum of ca 20 breeding pairs was reached, most of them in southern Danube valley (Bank et al., 2004). Later on, the breeding population began to recover slowly and now the breeding population consists from 35 territorial pairs (30 breeding) in Austria in 2017 (Probst, Pichler, 2017), 116 known breeding pairs in Czech Republic in 2016 (Bělka, 2017) and 279–307 breeding (egg-laying) pairs in Hungary in 2016 (Szelényi, 2016). It seems that WTSEs from Germany and Poland predominated in recolonization of the population in the western and northern part of the Czech Republic, and that the core Danube population was predominant in the recolonization of southeastern part of the Czech Republic and eastern Austria and Hungary. Moreover, ringing data and recent genetic studies suggest that WTSE populations in central Europe may even have been reestablished by eagles from North European populations (Literák et al., 2007, Nemesházi et al., 2016). Because there are only limited data about a dispersion of WTSEs from this recovered Central European population based on ringing data and because GPS/GSM telemetry is much more powerful tool for spatio-temporal studies than ringing activities, the aim of our study was to reveal the first year dispersion of WTE from central Europe using GPS/GSM telemetry

Different Expression of Mitochondrial and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Genes in Epicardial Adipose Tissue Depends on Coronary Atherosclerosis

The aim of our study was to analyze mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) gene expression profiles in subcutaneous (SAT) and epicardial (EAT) adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and myocardium in patients with and without CAD undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Thirty-eight patients, 27 with (CAD group) and 11 without CAD (noCAD group), undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valvular surgery were included in the study. EAT, SAT, intercostal skeletal muscle, and right atrium tissue and blood samples were collected at the start and end of surgery; mRNA expression of selected mitochondrial and ER stress genes was assessed using qRT-PCR. The presence of CAD was associated with decreased mRNA expression of most of the investigated mitochondrial respiratory chain genes in EAT, while no such changes were seen in SAT or other tissues. In contrast, the expression of ER stress genes did not differ between the CAD and noCAD groups in almost any tissue. Cardiac surgery further augmented mitochondrial dysfunction in EAT. In our study, CAD was associated with decreased expression of mitochondrial, but not endoplasmic reticulum stress genes in EAT. These changes may contribute to the acceleration of coronary atherosclerosis