Diazoxide is a powerful cardioprotectant but is not feasible in a realistic infarct scenario

IntroductionDiazoxide is a powerful cardioprotective agent that activates mitochondrial ATP-dependent K-channels and stimulates mitochondrial respiration. Diazoxide reduced infarct size in isolated rodent heart preparations and upon pretreatment in juvenile pigs with coronary occlusion/reperfusion. We aimed to study the use of diazoxide in a more realistic adult pig model of reperfused acute myocardial infarction when diazoxide was administered just before reperfusion.Methods and resultsIn a first approach, we pretreated anaesthetised adult Göttingen minipigs with 7 mg kg−1 diazoxide (n = 5) or placebo (n = 5) intravenously over 10 min and subjected them to 60 min coronary occlusion and 180 min reperfusion; blood pressure was maintained by use of an aortic snare. The primary endpoint was infarct size (triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining) as a fraction of area at risk; no-reflow area (thioflavin-S staining) was the secondary endpoint. In a second approach, diazoxide (n = 5) was given from 50 to 60 min coronary occlusion, and blood pressure was not maintained. There was a significant reduction in infarct size (22% ± 11% of area at risk with diazoxide pretreatment vs. 47% ± 11% with placebo) and area of no-reflow (14% ± 14% of infarct size with diazoxide pretreatment vs. 46% ± 20% with placebo). With diazoxide from 50 to 60 min coronary occlusion, however, there was marked hypotension, and infarct size (44% ± 7%) and area of no-reflow were not reduced (35% ± 25%).ConclusionsCardioprotection by diazoxide pretreatment was confirmed in adult pigs with reperfused acute myocardial infarction but is not feasible when diazoxide is administered in a more realistic scenario before reperfusion and causes hypotension

New socio-political environments and the dynamics of European public research systems

The performance of science and technology is being challenged by new socio-political environments. The changes in science policy are influenced by a more systemic view of the understanding on how science and technology evolve. The concept of risk society is mediating the links between science and society. Comparative analyses cast doubts about the possibilities of European institutions to cope with the challenges of the new environment.This paper is based on the work and previous experience of the author and develops some results from the project 'European Comparison of Public Research Systems (EUPSR)', funded by the European Commission TSER programme (contract SOE1-CT96-1036), co-ordinated by J. Senker (SPRU). The author is solely responsible for the work presented in this paper. The support of the EC is gratefully acknowledged as well as that of the Spanish National R&D Plan (SEC97-1382). A preliminary version was presented in the Lisbon Workshop (5-6 June 2000) of the EUROPOLIS project funded by the STRATA Programme

Мониторинг и оптимизация технологических параметров работы скважин, оборудованных установкой электроцентробежных насосов на нефтяном месторождении "Х" (Томская область)

Цель работы – анализ технологической и экономической эффективности применения режима периодического кратковременного включения, а также разработка рекомендаций по времени цикла работы скважины и подбору погружного оборудования на примере Х нефтяного месторождения.The purpose of the work is the analysis of the technological and economic efficiency of the use of the regime of periodic short-term switching on, as well as the development of recommendations for the well cycle time and selection of the submersible equipment using the example of the X oil field

Social orientation of banks

The influence of the bank's orientation on clients and the quality of the services provided on the financial efficiency of the commercial institution (sales volume, profitability, cost reduction) was studied. The development of online banking and Internet banking is considered. The relationship between the profitability of the bank and the level of customercentricity is proved. World experience has been compared and generalized, and country specificity has been singled out in different regions of the world. The dependence between the degree of customer satisfaction and their subsequent loyalty to the bank was studied. Prospective directions of expansion of the market of banking services are outlined, and also changes in the psychology of the client that took place due to scientific and technological progress are noted. The basic directions of increase of efficiency of work of the bank personnel are allocated

Defects of High-Density Lipoproteins in Coronary Artery Disease Caused by Low Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Content Correction by Sphingosine-1-Phosphate—Loading

AbstractBackgroundSphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a constituent of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) that contributes to their beneficial effects. We have shown decreased HDL-S1P in coronary artery disease (CAD) but its functional relevance remains unclear.ObjectivesThis study investigated the functional consequences of reduced HDL-S1P content in CAD and tested if increasing it may improve or restore HDL function.MethodsHuman HDL from healthy and CAD subjects, as well as mouse HDL, were isolated by ultracentrifugation. HDL-S1P-dependent activation of cell-signaling pathways and induction of vasodilation were examined in vitro and in isolated arteries using native and S1P-loaded HDL, S1P receptor antagonists, and S1P-blocking antibodies.ResultsHDL-S1P-dependent signaling was clearly impaired and S1P content reduced in CAD-HDL as compared to healthy HDL. Both healthy and CAD-HDL could be efficiently and equally well loaded with S1P from cellular donors and plasma. S1P-loading greatly improved HDL signaling and vasodilatory potential in pre-contracted arteries and completely corrected the defects inherent to CAD-HDL. HDL-S1P content and uptake was reduced by oxidation and was lower in HDL3 than HDL2. Loading with S1P in vitro and in vivo fully replenished the virtually absent S1P content of apolipoprotein M-deficient HDL and restored their defective signaling. Infusion of erythrocyte-associated C17-S1P in mice led to its rapid and complete uptake by HDL providing a means to directly S1P-load HDL in vivo.ConclusionsReduced HDL-S1P content contributes to HDL dysfunction in CAD. It can be efficiently increased by S1P-loading in vitro and in vivo, providing a novel approach to correcting HDL dysfunction in CAD

Archivos del CSIC: lugares de la memoria. Una experiencia de difusión

Los fondos archivísticos del CSIC se encuentran recogidos en el Catálogo de Archivos de la Red de Bibliotecas del CSIC. Los archivos integrados en dicho catálogo son : Archivo de la Biblioteca General de Humanidades, Archivo del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Archivo del Instituto de Filosofía, Archivo de la Biblioteca del Instituto de Neurobiología Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Archivo del Real Jardín Botánico, Archivo de la Biblioteca del Instituto de Historia, Archivo de la Biblioteca de la Escuela de Estudios Hispano-Americanos y el Archivo de la Biblioteca Central del CSICPeer reviewe

Порядок проектирования пожарной защиты на производстве ККЦ-1

В статье освещается порядок проектирования пожарной защиты в кислородно-конвекторном цехе (ККЦ-1), металлургического предприятия ОАО ЗСМК (Кемеровской обл., г.Новокузнецка).The article covers the order of designing a fire protection at the oxygen-convector workshop of the metallurgical enterprise JSC ZSMK (Kemerovo region, Novokuznetsk city)

Impact of atherosclerotic plaque composition on coronary microembolization during percutaneous coronary interventions

BACKGROUND: Cardiac marker release after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) reflects myocardial necrosis which is usually the result of periprocedural (micro)embolization of atherothrombotic debris and associated with impaired left ventricular function and adverse outcome. METHODS: In this prospective study, we examined 55 patients treated by direct stenting of single de-novo lesions to assess the relationship between plaque composition, as determined by preinterventional intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) with radiofrequency data (IVUS-RF) analysis (so-called Virtual Histology) versus coronary microembolization, as determined by serial measurement of cardiac markers. IVUS was performed with an electronic system and 20-MHz IVUS catheters. Serum creatine kinase (CK) and cardiac troponin I (CTnI) were determined before PCI and after 6, 12, and 24 hours. RESULTS: Plaques had a volume of 99 +/- 63 mm(3) and were composed of fibrous (61 +/- 9%) and fibro-fatty tissue (27 +/- 12%), dense calcium (4 +/- 3%), and necrotic core (NC) (8 +/- 6%). NC volume per se, volume per 10 mm of segment length, and volume % were correlated (r = 0.64, 0.66, and 0.52 respectively; all P 10.8 mm(3)) had a particularly high increase in markers (P < 0.001). In contrast, total plaque volume and plaque components other than NC had no relation with cardiac markers (ns). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with large NC in culprit lesions may experience more myocardial injury from peri-interventional microembolization. IVUS-RF assessment before PCI has the potential to identify lesions at particular high risk which may help to tailor PCI