Early Lipid Raft-Related Changes: Interplay between Unilateral Denervation and Hindlimb Suspension

Muscle disuse and denervation leads to muscle atrophy, but underlying mechanisms can be different. Previously, we have found ceramide (Cer) accumulation and lipid raft disruption after acute hindlimb suspension (HS), a model of muscle disuse. Herein, using biochemical and fluorescent approaches the influence of unilateral denervation itself and in combination with short-term HS on membrane-related parameters of rat soleus muscle was studied. Denervation increased immunoexpression of sphingomyelinase and Cer in plasmalemmal regions, but decreased Cer content in the raft fraction and enhanced lipid raft integrity. Preliminary denervation suppressed (1) HS-induced Cer accumulation in plasmalemmal regions, shown for both nonraft and raft-fractions; (2) HS-mediated decrease in lipid raft integrity. Similar to denervation, inhibition of the sciatic nerve afferents with capsaicin itself increased Cer plasmalemmal immunoexpression, but attenuated the membrane-related effects of HS. Finally, both denervation and capsaicin treatment increased immunoexpression of proapoptotic protein Bax and inhibited HS-driven increase in antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. Thus, denervation can increase lipid raft formation and attenuate HS-induced alterations probably due to decrease of Cer levels in the raft fraction. The effects of denervation could be at least partially caused by the loss of afferentation. The study points to the importance of motor and afferent inputs in control of Cer distribution and thereby stability of lipid rafts in the junctional and extrajunctional membranes of the muscle.     

The “Angiogenic Switch” and Functional Resources in Cyclic Sports Athletes

Regular physical activity in cyclic sports can influence the so-called “angiogenic switch”, which is considered as an imbalance between proangiogenic and anti-angiogenic molecules. Disruption of the synthesis of angiogenic molecules can be caused by local changes in tissues under the influence of excessive physical exertion and its consequences, such as chronic oxidative stress and associated hypoxia, metabolic acidosis, sports injuries, etc. A review of publications on signaling pathways that activate and inhibit angiogenesis in skeletal muscles, myocardium, lung, and nervous tissue under the influence of intense physical activity in cyclic sports. Materials: We searched PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Clinical keys, and e-LIBRARY databases for full-text articles published from 2000 to 2020, using keywords and their combinations. Results: An important aspect of adaptation to training loads in cyclic sports is an increase in the number of capillaries in muscle fibers, which improves the metabolism of skeletal muscles and myocardium, as well as nervous and lung tissue. Recent studies have shown that myocardial endothelial cells not only respond to hemodynamic forces and paracrine signals from neighboring cells, but also take an active part in heart remodeling processes, stimulating the growth and contractility of cardiomyocytes or the production of extracellular matrix proteins in myofibroblasts. As myocardial vascularization plays a central role in the transition from adaptive heart hypertrophy to heart failure, further study of the signaling mechanisms involved in the regulation of angiogenesis in the myocardium is important in sports practice. The study of the “angiogenic switch” problem in the cerebrovascular and cardiovascular systems allows us to claim that the formation of new vessels is mediated by a complex interaction of all growth factors. Although the lungs are one of the limiting systems of the body in cyclic sports, their response to high-intensity loads and other environmental stresses is often overlooked. Airway epithelial cells are the predominant source of several growth factors throughout lung organogenesis and appear to be critical for normal alveolarization, rapid alveolar proliferation, and normal vascular development. There are many controversial questions about the role of growth factors in the physiology and pathology of the lungs. The presented review has demonstrated that when doing sports, it is necessary to give a careful consideration to the possible positive and negative effects of growth factors on muscles, myocardium, lung tissue, and brain. Primarily, the “angiogenic switch” is important in aerobic sports (long distance running). Conclusions: Angiogenesis is a physiological process of the formation of new blood capillaries, which play an important role in the functioning of skeletal muscles, myocardium, lung, and nervous tissue in athletes. Violation of the “angiogenic switch” as a balance between proangiogenic and anti-angiogenic molecules can lead to a decrease in the functional resources of the nervous, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems in athletes and, as a consequence, to a decrease in sports performance.     

Increasing the corrosion resistance of equipment due to the use of film-forming amines

Results of a study of tube specimens cut from hot-water boilers show that film-forming octadecyl amine (ODA) used in the process of preservation removes deposition from the surface of the metal. An ODA film is preserved on the surface after repeated washing of the latter with hot water. The concentration of chlorides at the surface of the metal after treatment with ODA is lower than before the treatment. __________ Translated from élektricheskie Stantsii, No. 11, November 2005, pp. 15–18.     

Wave formation in the lower pool of the Bureya hydroproject

Results are presented for a model study of wave formation in the lower pool of a hydroproject. __________ Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel’stvo, No. 10, October 2007, pp. 43–47.     

Semiconductor Voltage Regulators-Stabilizers for Distribution Networks

Power Technology and Engineering - The article describes the issues of the operation of semiconductor regulators-stabilizers of alternating voltage for distribution networks (PRSPN). The relevance...     

Influence of rock-forming and catalytic additives on transformation of highly viscous heavy oil

The influence of the rock-forming additives kaolin and alumina in the presence of nickel compounds on the thermal catalytic conversion of heavy oil at a temperature of 360°C in a reducing atmosphere at different pressures in the system has been revealed. The effect of poly-α-olefins as a hydrogen donor has been examined. It has been found that there are predominant degradation reactions of the resinous components, aliphatic substituents in asphaltenes, and branched aliphatic structures accompanied by redistribution of n-alkanes toward homologues with a lower molecular weight, resulting in reduction in the viscosity of heavy oil. Conducting the process in the presence of Al₂O₃, Ni, and poly-α-olefins at a pressure of 8 MPa increases the quantity of light fractions of the oil and facilitates the degradation of asphaltenes. A decrease of pressure in the experiment on the oil with kaolin in a reducing atmosphere leads to a decrease in aromaticity of the final product and an increase in the yield of lube oil hydrocarbon and low-boiling fractions.     

Hydrogenation of aromatic compounds in the presence of dibenzothiophene over bimetallic catalysts containing mesoporous aluminosilicates

The hydrogenation of a mixture of naphthalene, tetralin, and toluene (a solution in n-heptane) in the presence of dibenzothiophene (150 and 400 ppm on a sulfur basis) over Pt-Pd catalysts containing Al-HMS mesoporous aluminosilicates has been studied. The catalyst supports contained 35 wt % Al-HMS and 65 wt % γ-Al₂O₃. The Pt and Pd loadings in the catalysts were 0.2 and 0.8 wt %, respectively. The process was carried out at 200–240°C, a pressure of 30 atm, and a weight hourly space velocity of 1.7 h^?1. It has been found that the catalyst based on Al-HMS with Si/Al = 10 exhibits the highest activity. Thus, in the hydrogenation of a model mixture containing 150 and 400 ppm of sulfur, the conversion of toluene at 240°C was 22.2 and 10.9 wt %, respectively. In the presence of this catalyst, the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons in the hydrotreated diesel fraction decreased from 28.4 to 6.8 wt %, and the sulfur content decreased from 45 to 5 ppm.     

The role of labile products of styrene epoxide conversion in its oxidation in polar acid medium

Phenylacetaldehyde (PAA) and benzyl alcohol (BAl) are formed in oxygen atmosphere from styrene epoxide in the presence of p- toluenesulfonic acid (TSA) in a solution of 90 vol % tert-butanol with 10 vol % chlorobenzene (BUC). The ratio of the propagation (k ₂ ) to the termination (k ₆) rate constants has been measured to be k ₂/√k ₆ = 8.6 × × 10^?3 (L/(mol s))^1/2 at 343 K by the method of initiated oxidation of PAA in a BUC solution. One of the products of the radical chain PAA oxidation is BA. This reaction leads to BAl accumulation during the conjugated oxidation of PAA with the epoxide in an acid alcohol medium. The contribution of BAl formed to the oxidation is almost unnoticeable.     

An assessment of electrolytic hydrogen production from H2S in Black Sea waters

In the deeper parts of the Black Sea basin, water is anoxic. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) occurs naturally, and its concentration is nearly constant, around 9.5 mg/L at 1500 m depth. Its high solubility, and the existing chemical environment facilitate its accumulation and containment in the seawater, and its extraction poses a challenge.Possibility of hydrogen and sulfur production from H₂S contained in the waters of Black Sea is investigated conceptually. A multistage process is considered which involves extraction of seawater, adsorption of H₂S, electrochemical production of hydrogen and polysulfides; fresh water production by desalination of seawater and further hydrogen production from the resulting salty solution through chlorine-alkaline electrolysis. Some consideration is included regarding the economic and environmental aspects of the process.     

Effect of polar solvents on the conversion of styrene epoxide in the presence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-toluenesulfonic acid

The addition of tert-butyl alcohol to a styrene epoxide and catalyst (p-toluenesulfonic acid) solution in acetonitrile accelerates the acid-catalyzed total conversion of epoxide and simultaneous oxygen absorption by this binary system (BS). The introduction of water into the alcohol solution of BS increases the oxidation rate to an even greater extent. Experiments with the indicator m-nitroaniline showed that the addition of alcohol and water decreased the deprotonating ability, i.e., the acidity of the solution. The attempt was made to rationalize the paradoxical situation, at which the decline in acidity is accompanied by enhancement of the acidcatalyzed reaction of the epoxide conversion and oxidation, in terms of the participation of the protonated alcohol in the intermediate complex with epoxide.