Depolarization of the intergeniculate leaflet neurons by serotonin : in vitro study

The intergeniculate leaflet of the thalamus (IGL) is a part of the mammalian biological clock which integrates photic and non-photic information and conveys it to the master biological clock - suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). One of the non-photic cues is delivered by the serotoninergic projection from dorsal raphe nucleus. In vitro electrophysiological recordings were performed from single IGL neurons using whole-cell patch clamp technique. We investigated the influence of serotonin (serotonin creatinine sulfate complex, 5HT) on 'spontaneous' neuronal activity in this structure. In most of recorded cells, 5-HT caused significant increases in firing rate. In majority of cases the effect was resynaptic. However, in some cases we observed postsynaptic depolarization. To our knowledge, depolarizing influence of 5HT on the single neurons in the IGL has been shown here for the first time

Charakterystyka napięciowo-zależnych zmian zaangażowanych w generowanie aktywności erupcyjnej neuronów listka ciała kolankowatego bocznego : badania in vitro patch clamp

INTRODUCTION The intergeniculate leaflet of the thalamus (IGL) is one of the two major neu-ronal structures of the mammalian biological clock. IGL neurons in rats, investi-gated in vivo, show a characteristic isoperiodic infra-slow oscillatory pattern (ISO) of activity. The mean period of this activity is about 120 s. The function of oscillatory activity, commonly observed in other biological clock structures, could be connected with the secretion of neuropeptides. Molecular study of the bases of bursting activity evoked in vitro, can help to better understand the mechanism of these oscillations. It was shown that the key element in this phe-nomenon is the expression of HCN family nonselective cationic channels and voltage-dependent T-type calcium channels. The generated h-current (the base of voltage sag) and t-current (causing low threshold spikes; LTS) are the topic of many studies revealing the mechanism of rhythmic neuronal activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS Based on our results of a patch clamp study, we have proposed the division of IGL cells into groups (using cluster analysis) based on different amplitudes of voltage components evoked by the h-current and t-current. The location of the investigated neurons chosen for further analysis was confirmed by immunohisto-chemical staining and confocal microscopy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The IGL neurons were classified into four groups showing different amplitudes of voltage sag and LTS. This classification obtained during experiments conducted at in vitro conditions, may provide information about the oscillatory na-ture of the neuron observed in the in vivo study.WSTĘP Listek ciała kolankowatego bocznego wzgórza (intergeniculate leaflet – IGL) jest jedną z dwóch głównych neuronalnych struktur zegara biologicznego ssaków. U szczura, w badaniach in vivo, neurony IGL wykazują charakterystyczny izoperiodyczny wzór infrawolnych oscylacji (infra-slow oscillation – ISO) generowania potencjałów czynnościowych, o okresie około 120 s. Przypuszcza się, że taka aktywność neuronalna, będąca cechą wspólną struktur zegara biologicznego, może ułatwiać sekrecję neuropeptydów. Badania molekularnych podstaw aktywności erupcyjnej, która może być wywołana w warunkach in vitro, przybliżają nas do poznania mechanizmu powstawania tych oscylacji. Wykazano, że kluczowym elementem, w generowaniu tego rodzaju oscylacji, jest obecność nieselektywnych kanałów kationowych z rodziny HCN oraz napięciowozależnych kanałów wapniowych typu-T. Przepływający przez nie prąd-h (powodujący sag napięciowy) oraz prąd-t (manifestujący się występowaniem niskoprogowych potencjałów wapniowych (low threshold spike – LTS) to obiekty wielu badań, dotyczących rytmicznej aktywności komórek nerwowych. MATERIAŁY I METODY Opierajac się na wynikach własnych badań, metodą elektrofizjologicznej rejestracji aktywności pojedynczych neuronów – patch clamp – autorzy zaproponowali podział neuronów IGL (na podstawie analizy klastrów), w zależności od amplitudy zmian napięcia, wywołanych prądem-h i prądem-t. Lokalizacja analizowanych neuronów została potwierdzona dzięki barwieniom immunohistochemicznym i mikroskopii konfokalnej. WYNIKI I WNIOSKI Otrzymano cztery grupy neuronów IGL, różniących się amplitudą sagu napięciowego oraz LTS. Przeprowadzony podczas badań in vitro podział może dostarczyć informacji na temat zdolności komórek do generowania aktywności oscylacyjnej w warunkach in vivo

Shearfree perfect fluids with solenoidal magnetic curvature and a gamma-law equation of state

We show that shearfree perfect fluids obeying an equation of state p=(gamma -1) mu are non-rotating or non-expanding under the assumption that the spatial divergence of the magnetic part of the Weyl tensor is zero.Comment: 11 page

Shear-free rotating inflation

We demonstrate the existence of shear-free cosmological models with rotation and expansion which support the inflationary scenarios. The corresponding metrics belong to the family of spatially homogeneous models with the geometry of the closed universe (Bianchi type IX). We show that the global vorticity does not prevent the inflation and even can accelerate it.Comment: Revtex, 12 pages; to appear in Phys. Rev.

Evaluation of an electro-pneumatic device for artificial capillary pulse generation used in a prospective study in animals for surgical neck wound healing

The paper examines the development and testing of an electro-pneumatic device for wound healing therapy after surgery in the neck area. The device generates air pressure values in a miniaturized cuff using electronic circuitry to drive an electro-valve and air compressor. The device works in two distinct modes: continuous pressure mode and pulsating pressure mode. The pressure value setting can vary from 3 to 11 mmHg, and the pulsating pressure mode's operating frequency range is approximately 0.1 to 0.3 Hz. Laboratory measurements were conducted to evaluate the device's correct functioning in both continuous and pulsating pressure modes. A four-day prospective study with animals (n = 10) was also conducted to evaluate neck wound healing therapy using the electro-pneumatic device. Out of the twelve histological parameters analysed to reveal the differences between the experimental and control wounds, only one demonstrated a significant difference. Out of the ten animals treated with the device, three showed a significant difference in terms of benefit after therapy. We can therefore conclude that the device potentially improves the wound healing process in the neck area if the pre-set air pressure value does not exceed 8 mmHg.Web of Science9art. no. 983

Entropy Identity and Material-Independent Equilibrium Conditions in Relativistic Thermodynamics

On the basis of the balance equations for energy-momentum, spin, particle and entropy density, an approach is considered which represents a comparatively general framework for special- and general-relativistic continuum thermodynamics. In the first part of the paper, a general entropy density 4-vector, containing particle, energy-momentum, and spin density contributions, is introduced which makes it possible, firstly, to judge special assumptions for the entropy density 4-vector made by other authors with respect to their generality and validity and, secondly, to determine entropy supply and entropy production. Using this entropy density 4-vector, in the second part, material-independent equilibrium conditions are discussed. While in literature, at least if one works in the theory of irreversible thermodynamics assuming a Riemann space-time structure, generally thermodynamic equilibrium is determined by introducing a variety of conditions by hand, the present approach proceeds as follows: For a comparatively wide class of space-time geometries the necessary equilibrium conditions of vanishing entropy supply and entropy production are exploited and, afterwards, supplementary conditions are assumed which are motivated by the requirement that thermodynamic equilibrium quantities have to be determined uniquely.Comment: Research Paper, 30 page

Exceptional activity of gallium(III) chloride and chlorogallate(III) ionic liquids for Baeyer–Villiger oxidation

The extremely high activity of chlorogallate(iii) ionic liquids and GaCl3 in promoting Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones with H2O2 to lactones is reported.</p