Bioactive compounds in rye flours with different extraction rates

Rye flours with extraction rate of 100% (wholemeal flour), 95% (brown flour), 90% (brown flour) and 70% (light flour) were prepared in order to study the relation between flour extraction rates and content of bioactive compounds. The following compounds were analysed: total phenolic compounds (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, tocopherols (T) and tocotrienols (T3). The reduced/oxidized glutathione status (GSH/GSSG) of the flours was examined as a potential index of flour resistance against oxidative stress. The following observations were made in relation to the flour extraction rates and bioactive compounds contents: (a) milling process caused decrease in content in TPC, TF, IP6, GSH and GSSG, T and T3, (b) the most resistant against oxidation processes were suggested a brown flours, then light and finally wholemeal flour, (c) the ratio of tocotrienols to tocopherols (T3/T) was the highest in rye flours with extraction rate of 100–90% whereas light flour was the poorest source of tocopherols and tocotrienols. The provided data support current trend to increase number of rye products from wholemeal or brown flours.     

Generalized adaptive notch filters with frequency debiasing for tracking of polynomial phase systems

Generalized adaptive notch filters are used for identification/tracking of quasi-periodically varying dynamic systems and can be considered an extension, to the system case, of classical adaptive notch filters. For general patterns of frequency variation the generalized adaptive notch filtering algorithms yield biased frequency estimates. We show that when system frequencies change slowly in a smooth way, the estimation bias can be substantially reduced by means of post-filtering of the frequency estimates. The modified (debiased) algorithm has better tracking capabilities than the original algorithm.     

A mixture theory for heat conduction in heterogeneous media

A mixture theory based on the ensemble-averaging technique is proposed for studying the thermal behaviour of heterogeneous media. Balance equations with partial heat fluxes and interaction terms are introduced for a two-component medium. Relations between these quantities and the ensemble-averaged (mean) temperatures of separate components are derived. The limits of application of widely used postulates of proportionality of the interaction term of difference in mean temperature of components is discussed. The effective conductivities of components in the mixture and the interaction coefficient are introduced and related to the so-called microstructure functions, which are functions of the microgeometry of the medium and the thermal properties of its components. Examples of the application of the theory to the calculation of the mean properties of a heterogeneous medium are presented.     

Increased pressor function of central vasopressinergic system in hypertensive renin transgenic rats

OBJECTIVE: Renin transgenic hypertensive rats [TGR(mRen2)27] have increased contents of angiotensin II and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the cardiovascular brain regions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of centrally released AVP on the regulation of baseline blood pressure in TGR(mRen2)27 rats and to determine the interaction between AVP and angiotensin II in the central control of blood pressure in this model of hypertension. DESIGN: Three basic series of experiments were performed on 20 TGR(mRen2)27 and 20 Hannover Sprague-Dawley conscious rats, chronically instrumented with lateral cerebral ventricle (LCV) cannulae and femoral artery catheters. In series 1, blood pressure and heart rate were recorded during an LCV infusion of artificial cerebrospinal fluid before and after LCV administration of angiotensin II. In series 2, the effects of an LCV administration of angiotensin 11 (100 ng) on mean arterial pressure and the heart rate were determined during LCV infusion of a selective AVP receptor (V1) antagonist [1-(1-mercapto-4-methylcyclohexaneacetic acid)-8-arginine vasopressin (MeCAAVP) and d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)2,Ala-NH2(9)]AVP] or a selective angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonist (losartan) or both. In series 3, mean arterial pressure and the heart rate were determined after an LCV injection of either AVP (10 ng) or AVP together with angiotensin II. RESULTS: The LCV infusions of antagonists to V1 and AT1 receptors caused significant comparable decreases in baseline MAP in TGR(mRen2)27 but not in Sprague-Dawley rats. Angiotensin II elicited significant pressor responses, both in TGR(mRen2)27 and in Sprague-Dawley rats. Blockade of V1 receptors significantly reduced the duration and the maximum amplitude of the central pressor response to angiotensin II in TGR(mRen2)27 rats, whereas in Sprague-Dawley rats the maximum pressor effect was not significantly altered. In both strains, the pressor response to angiotensin II was abolished by blockade of AT1 receptors. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the elevated blood pressure in TGR(mRen2)27 rats is partly caused by increased function of the brain angiotensinergic AT1 and vasopressinergic V1 systems. Centrally released AVP is involved in mediation of the pressor effect exerted by centrally applied angiotensin II in TGR(mRen2)27 rats.     

Influence of some lysosomotropic compounds on calcium ion desorption process from liposome membrane

The effect of a group of model lysosomotropic compounds on the process of Ca2+ ion desorption from lecithin liposome membranes was studied. The compounds studied were: hydrochlorides of fatty acids 2-dimethylaminoethyl esters (DM-n) for n = 9, 11, 13 and 15 carbon atoms in the fatty acid alkyl chain and methochloride of 2-dimethylaminoethyl laurate (DMS-11). It was found that all the compounds studied caused increased desorption with increasing concentration of the compound. Most effective was the quaternary ammonium salt, DMS-11. Moreover, it was found that the process of Ca2+ desorption from the membrane depended on pH of the medium. Compound DM-11 was more active at pH 8 than at pH 5. The action of DM-n compounds depended on the alkyl chain length, DM-11 and DM-13 being the most active. Apparently free amines penetrate the phospholipid membranes and incorporate into its hydrophobic core causing structural deformations. Hydrochlorides of fatty acids and the quaternary ammonium salt induce desorption of calcium ions mostly as a result of competitive electrostatic interactions. By quantum chemistry, PM3 method, and methods of molecular modelling we established the higher hydrophilicity of the polar head of DM-n series with respect to the polar head of the DMS-n compounds. DM-n compounds possess both acceptor and donor properties for hydrogen bonding while DMS-n are instrumental as acceptors only. It should be noted, that the results obtained in this paper for model membranes are in accordance with those for biological ones.     

CS modality transfer of two-way avoidance in rats with central and basolateral amygdala lesions

Post-lesion acquisition of two-way avoidance and subsequent transfer to two warning signals (conditioned stimulus, CS) of different modality were investigated in 60 rats. In Experiment I the animals were originally trained with less salient (darkness) CS, then transferred to more salient compound (darkness and white noise), and finally to white noise CS. The opposite arrangement of the conditioned stimuli (CSi) during the subsequent stages was employed in Experiment II. In control animals, avoidance acquisition was faster and the intertrial responding (ITR) rate lower with the auditory than with the visual CS. Lesioned rats learned avoidance responses more slowly, independently of CS modality. The transfer to other CSi revealed dramatic between-group difference in the level and consistency of avoidance response, shuttle-box latencies and ITR rate. In control animals, transfer to more salient CSi enhanced avoidance performance, whereas change to less salient CS decreased it. Rather small changes in shuttle-box performance and consistency of avoidance response due to CS modality were seen in rats with the basolateral lesions. In contrast, central nucleus injury caused a strong deterioration in the avoidance transfer, especially when the visual CS followed the acoustic one. The results indicate differential involvement of the basolateral and central amygdala nuclei in stimulus-processing mechanisms of instrumental defensive behavior.     

Changes in the respiratory system of patients with rheumatoid arthritis--personal observations

13 patients with RA admitted to our Institute with symptoms of respiratory involvement were described. Taking under consideration pulmonary function tests, radiological findings and histological examinations, we recognised 7 cases with interstitial lung disease, 3 cases with recurrent respiratory infection with bronchiectasis, 1 case with pleuritis, 1 with Caplan's syndrome and 1 with alveolar haemorrhage. The role of RF, and treatment with gold in the development of interstitial lung disease, as well as character of physiologic abnormalities concerning the small airways and its potential connection with bronchiolitis were discussed.