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Biomedical subjects

L Macho

Publications and source records attributed to L Macho.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Plasma and urine catecholamine levels in cosmonauts during long-term stay on Space Station Salyut-7.

The activity of the sympathetic adrenal system in cosmonauts exposed to a stay in space lasting for about half a year has so far been studied only by measuring catecholamine levels in plasma and urine samples taken before space flight and after landing. The device "Plasma 01", specially designed for collecting and processing venous blood from subjects during space flight on board the station Salyut-7 rendered it possible for the first time to collect and freeze samples of blood from cosmonauts in the course of a long-term 237-day space flight. A physician-cosmonaut collected samples of blood and urine from two cosmonauts over the period of days 217-219 of their stay in space. The samples were transported to Earth frozen. As indicators of the sympathetic adrenal system activity, plasma and urine concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine as well as urine levels of the catecholamine metabolites metanephrine, normetanephrine, and vanillylmandelic acid were determined before, during and after space flight. On days 217-219 of space flight plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were slightly increased, yet not substantially different from normal. During stress situations plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels usually exhibit a manifold increase. On days 217-219 of space flight norepinephrine and epinephrine levels in urine were comparable with pre-flight values and the levels of their metabolites were even significantly decreased. All the parameters studied, particularly plasma norepinephrine as well as urine norepinephrine, normetanephrine, and vanillylmandelic acid, reached the highest values 8 days after landing. The results obtained suggest that, in the period of days 217-219 of the cosmonauts stay in space in the state of weightlessness, the sympathetic adrenal system is either not activated at all or there is but a slight activation induced by specific activities of the cosmonauts, whereas in the process of re-adaptation after space flight on Earth this system is considerably more markedly activated.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1988

Changes of insulin effect on lipogenesis and insulin binding receptors during hypokinesia.

The effect of hypokinesia on insulin action and insulin binding to specific receptors in fat cells was studied. Male Wistar rats were exposed to hypokinesia in special adjustable plastic cages for 1, 7, 21 and 60 days, and the stimulatory effect of insulin (10 and 100 mU) on the incorporation of radiocarbon labelled glucose into lipids of fat tissue and the binding of insulin to receptors of isolated adipocytes was estimated. The stimulation of lipogenesis by insulin was slightly diminished after hypokinesia for 1 day, however, an important increase of insulin action was found in rats exposed to hypokinesia for 60 days. The decrease of insulin binding capacity of the number of binding sites per cell and of the insulin receptor density was found after 1 day of hypokinesia. In rats exposed to hypokinesia for 60 days, in agreement with the higher stimulatory affect of insulin, an increase of insulin receptor density was observed. These results showed that hypokinesia has an important influence on stimulatory action of insulin and on insulin receptors in adipocytes.

Adipocytes↗
PubMed1988

Effects of neonatal nutrition on glucagon binding and glucagon stimulated cAMP production in isolated rat hepatocytes.

The effect of neonatal nutrition on glucagon receptors and cAMP production was studied in isolated rat hepatocytes. Nutritional differences were obtained by changing the number of suckling pups per litter to 4 (RV4; neonatally overfed group), 8 (RV8; controls), and 14 (RV14; neonatally underfed group). After weaning the animals had free access to standard diet. Three age groups (60, 120 and 580 days) were investigated. Specific 125I-glucagon binding to isolated hepatocytes was elevated in RV14 animals of all age groups. Increased number of high- and low affinity glucagon receptors was observed in hepatocytes of RV14 rats of all age groups. The differences in neonatal nutrition did not influence glucagon binding affinity constants or the basal and maximum stimulated cAMP production. However, an increase in sensitivity of cAMP production to glucagon stimulation was found in hepatocytes of neonatally underfed rats of all age groups. Neonatal undernutrition in rats was associated with both increased hepatocyte glucagon receptors and a higher sensitivity of cAMP production to hormone stimulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Insulin-induced changes in mechanical characteristics of lipid bilayers modified by liver plasma membrane fragments.

Insulin interaction with BLM with incorporated fragments of rat liver plasma membranes, containing hormone receptors, was studied by determining Young modulus of elasticity of bilayer lipid membranes in direction perpendicular to the surface, E. The presence of membrane proteins in a concentration of 60 micrograms.ml-1 induced a significant decrease in parameter E (to approx. 50%) as compared with values obtained in non-modified membranes during insulin action (concentration interval 10(-11)-10(-9) mol.l-1). The extent of the effect was dependent on the initial phase state of the membrane, on cholesterol content in BLM as well as on membrane proteins concentration in lipid bilayer.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Effect of insulin on lipid bilayer viscoelasticity.

Changes in the Young elasticity modulus in perpendicular direction to the membrane surface E perpendicular, in the coefficient of dynamic viscosity eta, in the electric capacitance C, in the surface charge U1, in the conductivity g and in the coefficient of non-linearity beta of current-voltage characteristic caused by insulin were studied in bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) prepared from a mixture of egg lecithin and cholesterol (4:1, w/w) in n-heptane. Even relatively small concentrations of insulin in electrolyte (ci approximately 4.8 x 10(-11) mol/l) caused a diminution in parameters E perpendicular and eta. Negative surface charge emerged on the membrane due to the insulin absorption, and U1 gradually increased depending on the concentration of the hormone in the electrolyte. Addition of insulin was also followed by an increase in membrane conductivity and affected the value of the coefficient of non-linearity beta of current-voltage characteristic. The effect of insulin on the BLM structure was discussed on the basis of the results obtained.

Elasticity↗
PubMed1987

Effect of n-hexane inhalation on insulin degradation in rat blood in vitro.

Effect of inhalation of an air-n-hexane mixture on insulin degradation in rat blood in vitro was studied under simultaneous monitoring of n-hexane concentrations in blood (using gas chromatography) and in the inhaled air (using infrared analysis). Inhalation of n-hexane vapours in a concentration of 54,694 +/- 1933 ppm (197 +/- 7 g m-3) resulted in blood n-hexane saturation within 15 min. (0.18 +/- 0.023 mg ml-1) associated with a statistically increased (P less than 0.002) insulin degradation in the blood of exposed rats as compared to control animals 0.152 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.053 +/- 0.003). To rule out possible effects of stress on the results obtained, effects of both, 20 min restraint stress (RS) and equally long handling (HAN) on insulin degradation were also estimated. The data thus obtained were compared with insulin degradation in control (C) rats which were killed by decapitation in the animal room. No significant differences were observed between the individual groups (C: 0.055 +/- 0.08; RS: 0.068 +/- 0.01; HAN: 0.069 +/- 0.015). In vitro addition of n-hexane to pure plasma or to a mixture of blood elements revealed that degradation activities present in the cellular blood compartment are required for the n-hexane-induced enhancement of insulin degradation in the blood to occur.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1986

Neurotransmitter levels in the hypothalamus during postnatal development of rats.

The content of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) in the rat hypothalamus was determined at four hours time interval during 24 hours period at the age of 12, 23, 27 and 75 days. It was found that the content of NE in the hypothalamus is low in 12 day-old rats, and during the postnatal period a gradual increase of NE was noted. The content of E in the hypothalamus is low in 12- to 27-day-old rats and an important increase was found in adult animals. The high values of DA and 5-HT concentration were found in the hypothalamus of 12-day-old rats and a transient decrease of 5-HT and DA at the age of 23 days was noted, further an important increase of the content of both neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus was demonstrated later in life. The presence of circadian rhythm of hypothalamic NE, E, DA and 5-HT content was found in 12-, 23-, 27-day-old and in adult rats overfed or underfed during the suckling period. However, no significant correlation was observed between the NE and E levels in the hypothalamus and the diurnal fluctuations of plasma corticosterone concentrations. In adult animals an inverse correlation between the plasma corticosterone level and hypothalamic 5-HT content was noted. In young 12- and 23-day-old rats the correlation between 5-HT in the hypothalamus and corticosterone in the plasma was positive. These results indicate that the shift of peak in plasma corticosterone levels during postnatal ontogenesis of rats observed in previous experiments is not dependent on the changes in diurnal fluctuation of hypothalamic neurotransmitter concentrations.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1986

Effect of breast-feeding on infant thyroid activity: 3 year follow up--longitudinal study.

The effect of breast-feeding on serum thyroid hormones and TSH was studied in a longitudinal study from birth up to 3 years. T4 was found to be significantly higher in breast-fed than in weaned infants at the age of 4 and 6 months and so was rT3 at the age 4 months. The body weight of breast-fed girls at the age 4 and 6 months was lower than that of formula-fed ones. Breast-feeding at the age 9 months resulted in a decreased serum TSH. Serum T3 of infants weaned before the end of the first week of life was higher than in other groups of infants at the age of 10 weeks. Serum T4 of children 1-2-year-old correlated positively with the age at weaning, provided that they had been breast-fed at least for 60 days. Serum rT3 of 2-year-old children also correlated with the age of weaning. Serum TSH at the age of 3 years was higher in children who had been weaned during first 60 days of life than in those weaned later. It is concluded that breast-feeding possess some immediate effects on thyroid function parameters. Some effects were still detected at the age of 1-3 years.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1985

Serotonin in individual hypothalamic nuclei of rats after space flight on biosatellite Cosmos 1129.

The experiment on Cosmos 1129 was based on our results obtained in rats exposed to single or repeated restrain stress in the laboratory. These results have convincingly demonstrated a significant increase of serotonin concentration (5-HT) in the hypothalamus in acutely stressed rats. This response, which was found also in the isolated hypothalamic nuclei, was diminished in repeatedly (40 times) immobilized rats. While the concentration of 5-HT was unchanged in the majority of the hypothalamic nuclei of animals subjected to cosmic flight, an increase was recorded only in the supraoptic nucleus (NSO) and a decrease in the periventricular nucleus. These findings demonstrate that only few areas of the hypothalamus respond to cosmic flight with changes of 5-HT concentration and suggest either that long-term cosmic flight cannot be an intensive stressor or that during the flight the rats became already adapted to its long-term effect. However, the exposure of flight rats to repeated immobilization stress resulted in a significant increase of 5-HT in the NSO, para-ventricular and dorsomedial (NDM) nuclei. It should be noted that we have never seen any changes of 5-HT concentration, tryptophan hydroxylase and monoamineoxidase activities in repeatedly (40 times) immobilized rats. On the other hand, the increase of 5-HT concentration in the NDM is a typical finding after seven exposures of rats to immobilization on Earth, daily for 150 min. In the experiment COSMOS 1129 such an increase of 5-HT concentration in the NDM was found not only in the flight group but also in the control group of rats subjected to five daily exposures of immobilization stress. With respect to these findings, the increased 5-HT concentrations observed in some isolated hypothalamic nuclei in the flight group of rats exposed after landing to repeated immobilization stress suggest that long-term space flight and the state of weightlessness do not represent a stressogenic factor with respect to the serotoninergic system in the hypothalamus.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Comparison of radiochemical purity and tissue binding of labelled insulin prepared by lactoperoxidase and chloramine T iodination.

The radiochemical purity and tissue binding of 125I-insulin labelled by conventional chloramine T method were compared with those of (A14)-monoiodoinsulin prepared by lactoperoxidase iodination. In the first case the labelled insulin was purified on a cellulose column, while (A14)-monoiodoinsulin prepared with the aid of lactoperoxidase was purified on a column of QAE Sephadex A-25. After the digestion of labelled insulin by pronase about 15 percent of diiodoinsulin was found after chloramine T iodination, while a negligible amount (i.e. less than 1 percent) was detected after the use of lactoperoxidase. In addition, no damage of insulin molecules was found after the use of the latter method and the purification on QAE Sephadex A-25 yielded a homogenous preparation of insulin. Specific binding to isolated rat fat cells, rat liver plasma membranes and human erythrocytes was consistently higher in the case of (A14)-monoiodoinsulin compared to the insulin labelled by chloramine T method.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1983

Acute and transient activation of pituitary-thyroid axis during unforced restriction in rats: component of nonshivering thermogenesis in conscious animals?

Groups of 6-8 male Wistar Olac SPF rats weighing about 300 g were subjected to unforced restriction (UR) in small cages with a metallic bottom and a Plexiglas cover for various intervals from 2 min to 72 h. An acute activation of the pituitary-thyroid axis was found which was manifested by an increase of thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) levels at 2-5 min of UR. This was presumably due to the emotional effect of a rapid transfer and to the placing of the animals into restriction cages. Later, between 3 and 6 h of UR, another, and more pronounced period of activation of the pituitary-thyroid axis and of the peripheral thyroid hormone metabolism was repeatedly observed which lasted until about 36-48 h and was manifested by a highly significant increase of TSH, T4, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (rT3) levels. It was concluded that this phenomenon presumably may be a component of nonshivering thermogenesis resulting from a decreased muscular activity and resembling the conditions occurring under cold stress. Such a view was supported by findings of highly increased nonesterified fatty acid levels in plasma in restricted animals, by unchanged levels of TSH and thyroid hormones found in unrestricted animals kept individually in regular group cages and, finally, by a preventive effect of ambient temperature of 32 degrees C on the pituitary-thyroid activation at 6 h of UR. In some experiments, no substantial differences in hormone levels were found between the animals kept in Plexiglas or stainless wire-mesh restriction cages. Finally, a multifold increase of prolactin level in plasma was found as early as 2 min of UR, the peak being observed between 5 and 20 min and a decrease to about the initial level at about 360 min.

Animals↗