Journal of Applied Biomedicine, 2004 (vol. 2), issue 1
Original Research Article
Acute toxicity and radioprotective effects of amifostine (WR-2721) or cystamine in single whole body fission neutrons irradiated rats
Pavel Kuna, Milan Dostál, Otakar Neruda, Josef Knajfl, Pavel Petýrek, František Podzimek, Jan Severa, Václav Svoboda, Jan Šimša, Stanislav Špelda, Jiřina Vávrová, Jindřiška Heřmanská, Zdeněk Prouza, Pavel Pitterman, Evžen Listík, Leoš Navrátil, František Spurný, František Konrád, Zdena Vilasová, Renata Havránková
J Appl Biomed 2:43-49, 2004 
The radioprotective substances amifostine (WR-2721) and cystamine were tested in rats following their parenteral administration (i.p., i.m., and i.v.). Cystamine is more toxic than amifostine in mice as well as in rats. Amifostine was less toxic after intravenous injection. The radioprotective effects of WR-2721 (160 mg.kg-1) and cystamine (40 mg.kg-1) were not significant when they were administered parenterally 15 - 20 mins before lethal doses of whole body fission neutron irradiation in the thermal column of reactor VVR-S and 30-days lethality served as an integral criterion of postradiation injury to the rat body. The fission...
Synthesis of the three monopyridinium oximes and evaluation of their potency to reactivate acetylcholinesterase inhibited by nerve agents
Kamil Kuča, Jan Pícha, Jiří Cabal, František Liška
J Appl Biomed 2:51-56, 2004
Three potential reactivators of nerve agents-inhibited acetylcholinesterase: 2-[(hydroxyimino)phenylmethyl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide 3a, 2-[(hydroxyimino)pyridin-2-ylmethyl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide 3b and 2-[(1-hydroxyimino) ethyl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide 3c were synthesized. Their reactivation potency was examined using a standard in vitro reactivation test. A rat brain homogenate was used as the source of acetylcholinesterase. Their reactivation potency was compared with a currently used acetylcholinesterase reactivator - 2-PAM (pralidoxime) 4. All tested reactivators were less effective acetylcholinesterase...
Reviews
ER-to-cell surface signalling: calreticulin and cell adhesion
Sylvia Papp, Marc P. Fadel, Michal Opas
J Appl Biomed 2:1-14, 2004
Cell shape, adhesion, and motility are affected by Ca-regulated pathways, which depend on Ca-binding proteins. One such protein is calreticulin, a ubiquitous and major Ca-binding protein, resident in the ER of eukaryotic cells. In the lumen of the ER, calreticulin is a lectin-like chaperone, sharing this function with an ER-membrane protein, calnexin. Calreticulin also functions as an ER-lumenal Ca store and plays a central role in intracellular Ca homeostasis, including the regulation of store-operated Ca influx via plasma membrane and ER Ca channels. Calreticulin also affects processes outside of the ER; most notably, it modulates expression of several...
Contents of cadmium and mercury in edible mushrooms
Pavel Kalač, Lubomír Svoboda, Božena Havlíčková
J Appl Biomed 2:15-20, 2004
Wild mushrooms are a popular delicacy in many countries and their consumption is rather high in some individuals. Some species, mainly from the genera Agaricus, Macrolepiota, Lepista and Calocybe accumulate a high content of cadmium and mercury even in unpolluted areas. Levels of these metals increase considerably in heavily polluted sites, such as in the vicinity of both working and abandoned metal smelters or inside cities. Current knowledge of the chemical forms of the metals bound in mushrooms is limited, as are data on their bioavailability in man. Consumption of the species which do accumulate these metals should thus be restricted....
The significance of stem cells in free-living flatworms: one common source for all cells in the adult
Roland Peter, Robert Gschwentner, Wolfgang Schürmann, Reinhard M. Rieger, Peter Ladurner
J Appl Biomed 2:21-35, 2004
A survey of the current knowledge on stem cells and cell proliferation in turbellarians is presented, with special focus on recent results obtained by the authors when studying cell kinetics and cultivating neoblasts from various species. Differentiated somatic cells do not divide in flatworms. In these animals neoblasts constitute a proliferative compartment. These cells are rather uniform when viewed through a light microscope, but constitute a heterogeneous population comprising actual stem cells, progenitors and early differentiation stages. Cell kinetics were monitored by the incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine and by immunocytochemical staining...
Toxicological aspects of depleted uranium
Jiří Patočka, Jiří Kassa, Rudolf Štětina, Gustav Šafr, Josef Havel
J Appl Biomed 2:37-42, 2004
Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process and has been used for decades in different applications. Recently depleted uranium is used as an anti-armour munition because of its profitable physical properties. One of these, the ability to ignite and burn at very high temperatures, may result in the formation of an aerosol of very small uranium oxide clusters, which may be inhaled. It is alleged that these particles represent a new battlefield hazard because of the radioactivity and chemical toxicity of uranium.