36 research outputs found

    Nuclear Track Detectors. Searches for Exotic Particles

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    We used Nuclear Track Detectors (NTD) CR39 and Makrofol for many purposes: i) Exposures at the SPS and at lower energy accelerator heavy ion beams for calibration purposes and for fragmentation studies. ii) Searches for GUT and Intermediate Mass Magnetic Monopoles (IMM), nuclearites, Q-balls and strangelets in the cosmic radiation. The MACRO experiment in the Gran Sasso underground lab, with ~1000 m^2 of CR39 detectors (plus scintillators and streamer tubes), established an upper limit for superheavy GUT poles at the level of 1.4x10^-16 cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1 for 4x10^-5 <beta<1. The SLIM experiment at the high altitude Chacaltaya lab (5230 m a.s.l.), using 427 m^2 of CR39 detectors exposed for 4.22 y, gave an upper limit for IMMs of ~1.3x10^-15 cm^-2 s^-1 sr^-1. The experiments yielded interesting upper limits also on the fluxes of the other mentioned exotic particles. iii) Environmental studies, radiation monitoring, neutron dosimetry.Comment: Talk given at "New Trends In High-Energy Physics" (experiment, phenomenology, theory) Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine, September 27-October 4, 200

    The dose of gamma radiation from building materials and soil

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    The radioactivity of some structural building materials, rows, binders, and final construction products, originating from Serbia or imported from other countries, was investigated in the current study by using the standard HPGe gamma spectrometry. The absorbed dose in the air was computed by the method of buildup factors for models of the room with the walls of concrete, gas-concrete, brick and stone. Using the conversion coefficients obtained by interpolation of the International Commission on Radiobiological Protection (ICRP) equivalent doses for isotropic irradiation, the corresponding average indoor effective dose from the radiation of building materials of 0.24 mSv·y-1 was determined. The outdoor dose of 0.047 mSv·y-1 was estimated on the basis of values of the specific absorbed dose rates calculated for the radiation of the series of 238U, 232Th and 40K from the ground and covering materials. The literature values of the effective dose conversion coefficients for ground geometry were applied as well as the published data for content of the radionuclides in the soil

    17 beta-Estradiol in vitro affects Na-dependent and depolarization-induced Ca2+ transport in rat brain synaptosomes

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    Effects of 17 beta-estradiol (E(2)) in vitro on Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux from, and depolarization-induced Ca2+ uptake into, the nerve cell were studied with the use of synaptosomes isolated from the brain stem, mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF), caudate nucleus and the hippocampus of long-term ovariectomized adult female rats. It was found that E(2) (1) at a concentration of 10 nM or lower, stimulates Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux in the caudate nucleus and hippocampus, and does not affect the efflux in MRF and brain stem; (2) at concentrations above 10 nM has no effect on the Ca2+ efflux in any of the four structures investigated; and (3) produces a biphasic effect on the depolarization-induced Ca2+ uptake, increasing it in all structures except MRF at 10 nM concentration, and decreasing it at concentrations higher than 10 nM, irrespective of the structure investigated. These results suggest that E(2), acting at extranuclear sites, modulates synaptic transmission via alterations of Ca2+ transport mechanisms in nerve endings

    17 beta-Estradiol in vitro affects Na-dependent and depolarization-induced Ca2+ transport in rat brain synaptosomes

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    Effects of 17 beta-estradiol (E(2)) in vitro on Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux from, and depolarization-induced Ca2+ uptake into, the nerve cell were studied with the use of synaptosomes isolated from the brain stem, mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF), caudate nucleus and the hippocampus of long-term ovariectomized adult female rats. It was found that E(2) (1) at a concentration of 10 nM or lower, stimulates Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux in the caudate nucleus and hippocampus, and does not affect the efflux in MRF and brain stem; (2) at concentrations above 10 nM has no effect on the Ca2+ efflux in any of the four structures investigated; and (3) produces a biphasic effect on the depolarization-induced Ca2+ uptake, increasing it in all structures except MRF at 10 nM concentration, and decreasing it at concentrations higher than 10 nM, irrespective of the structure investigated. These results suggest that E(2), acting at extranuclear sites, modulates synaptic transmission via alterations of Ca2+ transport mechanisms in nerve endings

    Ecto-ATPase and ecto-ATP-diphosphohydrolase are co-localized in rat hippocampal and caudate nucleus synaptic plasma membranes

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    Enzymes that hydrolyze extracellular ATP, i.e. ecto-ATPase and ecto-ATP diphosphohydrolase (ATPDase), can be differentiated by ability of the latter to hydrolyze ADP and by slightly different kinetic properties of the two enzymes. Synaptic plasma membrane fractions isolated from rat hippocampus and caudate nucleus exhibit ADP-hydrolyzing activity, as revealed by the enzyme assay, and the presence of ecto-ATPase protein, as revealed by immunological identification on Western blot. These findings indicate that both enzymes are co-expressed in the synaptic membrane compartment of hippocampal and caudate nucleus neurons. Kinetic analysis was performed to determine the relative contribution of each enzyme to the total ATP-hydrolyzing activity, while an inhibition study was carried out in order to exclude the interference of other nonspecific ATPase and phosphatase activities. Based on the kinetic properties, sensitivity to inhibitors and V-ATP/V-ADP ratio of about 2, we concluded that a substantial portion of ATP-hydrolyzing activity in both synaptic membrane preparations can be ascribed to the catalytic action of ATPDase. On the other hand, the highest catalytic efficacy when ATP is the substrate and the greater abundance of ecto-ATPase protein in caudate nucleus preparation suggest that the relative contribution of ecto-ATPase to the total ATP-hydrolyzing activity in the caudate nucleus is higher than in the hippocampus

    Ontogenetic profile of ecto-ATPase activity in rat hippocampal and caudate nucleus synaptic plasma membrane fractions

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    An ontogenetic study of ecto-ATPase activity and the content of enzyme proteins was assessed in the caudate nucleus and hippocampal synaptic plasma membranes isolated from rats at various ages (15, 30, 90, 180 and 365 days). The ontogenetic profile revealed that the enzyme activities in both brain areas were the highest on day 30 and 365, while the ecto-ATPase protein abundance was the highest on day 15 after birth. Possible explanation for obtained ontogenetic profile and the discrepancy between activity and abundance may reside in the fact that ecto-ATPase during development could exert additional roles other than those related to metabolism of ATP. It is likely that ecto-ATPase, regulating the concentration of ATP and adenosine in synaptic cleft, has important role in the processes of brain development and aging

    Ontogenetic profile of ecto-ATPase activity in rat hippocampal and caudate nucleus synaptic plasma membrane fractions

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    An ontogenetic study of ecto-ATPase activity and the content of enzyme proteins was assessed in the caudate nucleus and hippocampal synaptic plasma membranes isolated from rats at various ages (15, 30, 90, 180 and 365 days). The ontogenetic profile revealed that the enzyme activities in both brain areas were the highest on day 30 and 365, while the ecto-ATPase protein abundance was the highest on day 15 after birth. Possible explanation for obtained ontogenetic profile and the discrepancy between activity and abundance may reside in the fact that ecto-ATPase during development could exert additional roles other than those related to metabolism of ATP. It is likely that ecto-ATPase, regulating the concentration of ATP and adenosine in synaptic cleft, has important role in the processes of brain development and aging

    Estradiol affect Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux from synaptosomal mitochondria

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    The effects of gonadal steroid hormone, 17 beta-estradiol (E-2), in vitro on rat brain mitochondria Ca2+ movement were investigated. Intrasynaptosomal mitochondria Ca2+ uptake via an energy-driven Ca2+ uniporter have K-m = 112.73 +/- 7.3 mu mol.l(-1) and V-max = 21.97 +/- 1.7 nmol Ca-45(2+) mg(-1). Ca2+ release trough a Na+/Ca2+ antiporter was measured with a K-m for Na+ of 43.7 +/- 2.6 mmol.l(-1), and V-max of 1.5 +/- 0.3 nmol Ca-45(2+) mg(-1). Addition of estradiol in preincubation mixture did not affect the uptake of Ca2+ mediated by the ruthenium red-sensitive uniporter, while it produced biphasic effect on Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux. Estradiol at concentrations up to 1 nmol.l(-1) decreased the efflux significantly (63% inhibition with respect to the control), and at concentrations above 10 nmol.l(-1) increased it exponentially. The maximum inhibiting concentration of estradiol (0.5 nmol.l(-1)) increased the affinity of the uniporter (K-m reduced by about 30%), without affecting significantly the capacity (V-max) for Na+. The results presented suggest that estradiol inhibits Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux from mitochondria and acts on mitochondrial retention of Ca2+, which may modulate mitochondrial and consequently synaptosomal content of Ca2+, and in this way exerts its role in the homeostasis of calcium in nerve terminals

    Estradiol affect Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux from synaptosomal mitochondria

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    The effects of gonadal steroid hormone, 17 beta-estradiol (E-2), in vitro on rat brain mitochondria Ca2+ movement were investigated. Intrasynaptosomal mitochondria Ca2+ uptake via an energy-driven Ca2+ uniporter have K-m = 112.73 +/- 7.3 mu mol.l(-1) and V-max = 21.97 +/- 1.7 nmol Ca-45(2+) mg(-1). Ca2+ release trough a Na+/Ca2+ antiporter was measured with a K-m for Na+ of 43.7 +/- 2.6 mmol.l(-1), and V-max of 1.5 +/- 0.3 nmol Ca-45(2+) mg(-1). Addition of estradiol in preincubation mixture did not affect the uptake of Ca2+ mediated by the ruthenium red-sensitive uniporter, while it produced biphasic effect on Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux. Estradiol at concentrations up to 1 nmol.l(-1) decreased the efflux significantly (63% inhibition with respect to the control), and at concentrations above 10 nmol.l(-1) increased it exponentially. The maximum inhibiting concentration of estradiol (0.5 nmol.l(-1)) increased the affinity of the uniporter (K-m reduced by about 30%), without affecting significantly the capacity (V-max) for Na+. The results presented suggest that estradiol inhibits Na-dependent Ca2+ efflux from mitochondria and acts on mitochondrial retention of Ca2+, which may modulate mitochondrial and consequently synaptosomal content of Ca2+, and in this way exerts its role in the homeostasis of calcium in nerve terminals

    Effect of steroid hormone deprivation on the expression of ecto-ATPase in distinct brain regions of female rats

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    Abundant evidence indicates that ATP and adenosine act as neurotransmitters or co-transmitters, influencing nerve cell physiology in various ways. Therefore, regulation of ATP-metabolizing enzymes is essential for the normal development and function of neuronal tissue. In the present study we have examined the effect of gonadal (OVX) or adrenal (ADX) steroid hormone deprivation on the activity and expression of synaptic membrane ecto-ATPase in three extrahypothalamic brain areas of female rats, primarily not associated with reproductive function. It was shown that OVX significantly increased ecto-ATPase activity and the relative abundance of this enzyme in the hippocampal (Hip) and caudate nucleus (CN), but not in brain stem (BS) membrane preparations. ADX was followed by an upregulation of the enzyme activity and its relative abundance in all the brain areas investigated. The highest enzyme activity and the most profound effects of OVX and ADX were detected in the CN. The results obtained indicate that ADX and OVX upregulate the expression of ecto-ATPase, potentiating the production of adenosine in synaptic cleft thus modulating the activity of numerous neurotransmitter systems in distinct areas of the CNS
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