Glucagon Effects on Ischemic Vasodilatation in the Isolated Rat Heart

The myocardial reperfusion following ischemia leads to the ischemic vasodilation by affecting the release of various vasoactive substances, such as free radicals, NO, and histamine. In addition, some evidences suggest that glucagon itself may alter the release of those substances. In this study, we investigated the ischemic vasodilation of the isolated rat heart, as well as the concentrations of NO, TBARS, and histamine in the coronary venous effluent either in the presence or in the absence of glucagon. Our results showed that in the presence of glucagon, there was a faster restoration of coronary perfusion pressure during ischemic vasodilation compared to the absence of glucagon (124 ± 5.6 versus 81 ± 5.2 s) with no apparent changes in TBARS concentration. The glucagon's administration leads to the decreased release of histamine by approximately 35%. Biphasic release of NO in the presence of glucagon initially showed augmentation by 60%, followed by the significant attenuation of 45%

Effects of Combined Allogenic Adipose Stem Cells and Hyperbaric Oxygenation Treatment on Pathogenesis of Osteoarthritis in Knee Joint Induced by Monoiodoacetate

The beneficial effects of HBO in inflammatory processes make it an attractive type of treatment for chronic arthritis. In addition, the effects of combination therapy based on adipose stem cells and HBO on OA progression have not been fully investigated. The current study explored the efficacy of intra-articular injection of allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) combined with hyperbaric oxygenation treatment (HBO) in a rat osteoarthritis (OA) model. The rat OA model was induced by intra-articular injection of monoiodoacetate (MIA) and 7 days after application of MIA rats were divided into five groups: healthy control (CTRL), osteoarthritis (OA), ADMSCs (ADS), the HBO+ADS21day and HBO+ADS28day groups. A single dose of 1 × 106 allogeneic ADMSCs suspended in sterile saline was injected into the knee joint alone or in combination with HBO treatment. Rats were sacrificed at 3 or 4 weeks after MIA injection. Treatment outcomes were evaluated by radiographic, morphological and histological analysis and by specific staining of articular cartilage. We also measured the level of inflammatory and pro/antioxidative markers. We confirmed that combined treatment of ADMSCs and HBO significantly improved the regeneration of cartilage in the knee joint. Rtg score of knee joint damage was significantly decreased in the HBO+ADS21day and HBO+ADS28day groups compared to the OA. However, the positive effect in the HBO+ADS28day group was greater than the HBO+ADS21day group. The articular cartilage was relatively normal in the HBO+ADS28day group, but moderate degeneration was observed in the HBO+ADS21day compared to the OA group. These findings are in line with the histopathological results. A significantly lower level of O2−. was observed in the HBO+ADS28day group but a higher NO level compared to the HBO+ADS21day group. Moreover, in the HBO+ADS28day group significantly higher concentrations of IL-10 were observed but there was no significant difference in proinflammatory cytokine in serum samples. These results indicate that a single intra-articular injection of allogeneic ADMSCs combined with HBO efficiently attenuated OA progression after 28 days with greater therapeutic effect compared to alone ADMSCs or after 3 weeks of combined treatment. Combined treatment might be an effective treatment for OA in humans

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Cytotoxic Activity of Different Extracts of Xanthoparmelia stenophylla Lichen from Stara Planina, Serbia

The aim of this study was to identify some of the secondary metabolites present in acetonic, methanolic, and hexanic extracts of lichen Xanthoparmelia stenophylla and to examine their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity. Compounds of the depsid structure of lecanoric acid, obtusic acid, and atranorin as well as usnic acid with a dibenzofuran structure were identified in the extracts by HPLC. The acetone extract was shown to have the highest total phenolic (167.03 ± 1.12 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid content (178.84 ± 0.93 mg QE/g) as well as the best antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50 = 81.22 ± 0.54). However, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm tests showed the best activity of hexanic extract, especially against strains of B. cereus, B. subtilis, and S. aureus (MIC < 0.08, and 0.3125 mg/mL, respectively). Additionally, by using the MTT method, the acetonic extract was reported to exhibit a strong cytotoxic effect on the HeLa and HCT-116 cell lines, especially after 72 h (IC50 = 21.17 ± 1.85 and IC50 = 21.48 ± 3.55, respectively). The promising antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic effects of Xanthoparmelia stenophylla extracts shown in the current study should be further investigated in vivo and under clinical conditions

Lipase catalyzed synthesis of flavor esters in non-aqueous media: Optimization of the yield of pentyl 2-methylpropanoate by statistical analysis

In this study, the synthesis of pentyl 2-methylpropanoate employing a commercial lipase from Candida rugosa was investigated, the emphasis being placed on analyzing the effects of various process conditions on the yield of ester. The response surface methodology (RSM) and five-level-five-factor central composite rotatable design (CCRD) were used to evaluate the effects of variables, namely the initial water content, 0.0–2.0 % (w/v), the reaction temperature, 35–75 °C, the enzyme concentration, 1.0–5.0 g dm-3, the acid/alcohol mole ratio, 1:2–5:2, and the reaction time, 4–48 h, on the yield (%) of ester. The production of pentyl 2-methylpropanoate was optimized and an ester yield response equation was obtained, enabling the prediction of ester yields from known values of the five main factors. It seems that the enzyme concentration, reaction time and acid/alcohol mole ratio predominantly determine the conversion process, while the amount of added water amount had no significant influence on the ester yield. Conversion of around 92 % of the substrate to ester could be realized using a concentration of lipase as low as 4.0 g dm-3 and in a relatively short time (26 h) at 35 °C, when a high substrate mole ratio of 2.5 was used

Glucagon Effects on 3H-Histamine Uptake by the Isolated Guinea-Pig Heart during Anaphylaxis

We estimated the influence of acute glucagon applications on 3H-histamine uptake by the isolated guinea-pig heart, during a single 3H-histamine passage through the coronary circulation, before and during anaphylaxis, and the influence of glucagon on level of histamine, NO, O2-, and H2O2 in the venous effluent during anaphylaxis. Before anaphylaxis, glucagon pretreatment does not change 3H-histamine Umax and the level of endogenous histamine. At the same time, in the presence of glucagon, 3H-histamine Unet is increased and backflux is decreased when compared to the corresponding values in the absence of glucagon. During anaphylaxis, in the presence of glucagon, the values of 3H-histamine Umax and Unet are significantly higher and backflux is significantly lower in the presence of glucagon when compared to the corresponding values in the absence of glucagon. The level of endogenous histamine during anaphylaxis in the presence of glucagon (6.9–7.38 × 10−8 μM) is significantly lower than the histamine level in the absence of glucagon (10.35–10.45 × 10−8 μM). Glucagon pretreatment leads to a significant increase in NO release (5.69 nmol/mL) in comparison with the period before glucagon administration (2.49 nmol/mL). Then, in the presence of glucagon, O2- level fails to increase during anaphylaxis. Also, our results show no significant differences in H2O2 levels before, during, and after anaphylaxis in the presence of glucagon, but these values are significantly lower than the corresponding values in the absence of glucagon. In conclusion, our results show that glucagon increases NO release and prevents the increased release of free radicals during anaphylaxis, and decreases histamine level in the venous effluent during cardiac anaphylaxis, which may be a consequence of decreased histamine release and/or intensified histamine capturing by the heart during anaphylaxis

Influence of different orthodontic brackets and chemical preparations of ceramic crowns on shear bond strength

Background Bonding to ceramic restorations remains a major challenge to orthodontists, especially due to an increasing number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment. Aims The objective of this research was to investigate the influence of two chemical methods used for surface conditioning of ceramic crowns, on shear bond strength (SBS) of metallic and ceramic orthodontic brackets bonded to ceramic surfaces. Methods The study was conducted on 48 prepared specimens of metallic and ceramic orthodontic brackets bonded to ceramic crowns, conditioned with two different etching materials: hydrofluoric acid (HFA), or phosphoric acid, and subsequently, silane. SBS was tested using Universal Testing Machine. The samples were analysed using Scanning Electron Microscope, to determine adhesive remnant index (ARI). Statistical data was processed with ANOVA, and ARI was evaluated using x 2 test, with level of significance α=0.05. Results SBS values of the groups etched with HFA and silane, compared to the groups etched with phosphoric acid and silane, are not significantly increased. However, ceramic brackets show significantly higher SBS values than metallic brackets. Conclusion Both types of ceramic surface conditioning procedures have similar features and provide strong enough SBS values to realize the orthodontic treatment. Also, the assumption that only the type of bracket significantly affects the SBS value can be accepted

The lack of association between catechol-O-methyl-transferase Val108/158Met polymorphism and smoking in schizophrenia and alcohol dependence

The study elucidated the association between the COMT Val108/158Met polymorphism and smoking in patients with schizophrenia, patients with alcohol dependence and healthy control subjects. The stepwise logistic regression (odds ratio (OR)=1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.10–2.23, P=0.014) and the χ2 test (P=0.008) revealed that the COMT Val/Val genotype was significantly associated with smoking in healthy male subjects. Although the hypothesis of the study was that COMT Val108/158Met genotypes will be significantly associated with smoking in schizophrenia and alcohol dependence, our study showed for the first time the lack of significant association between smoking and COMT Val108/158Met polymorphism in schizophrenia, and confirmed no association between smoking and COMT Val108/158Met in alcoholism

Immunohistomorphometric and Hormonal Analysis of the Pituitary Gonadotropic Cells after Application of the Nandrolone Decanoate and Swimming Training in Adult Male Rats

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of chronic nandrolone decanoate treatment and/or swimming training on immunohistomorphometric parameters on rat pituitary gonadotropic cells. Male Wistar albino rats, 10 weeks old, were classified into four groups: control (T-N-), nandrolone (T-N+), swimming training (T+N-), and swimming training with nandrolone (T+N+). The T+ groups swam for 4 weeks, 1 h/day, 5 days/week. The N+ groups received nandrolone decanoate (20 mg/kg) once per week for 4 weeks. Pituitary tissue sections were processed and stained for immunohistochemical analysis and immunofluorescence. The volume density of luteinizing hormone (LH) cells was decreased by 48% in T-N+ and for 35% in the T+N+ group. The volume density of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) cells was decreased by 39% in T-N+ and for 30% in T+N+ compared to the control. Nandrolone alone, or combined with swimming training, decreased the number of LH/FSH cells compared to the control. The levels of the immunofluorescent signal of LH/FSH cells were increased in all experimental groups. Nandrolone alone decreased the serum level of LH by 17%, whereas swimming training alone increased FSH levels by 11% compared to the control. Serum levels of testosterone were increased in all experimental groups. Nandrolone alone, or combined with swimming training, decreased immunohistomorphometric parameters of gonadotropic cells, whereas the levels of immunofluorescent signal were increased