Search results for "CHANNEL"

Ultrastructural evidence for protection of the outer hair cells of the inner ear during intense noise exposure by application of the organic calcium …

1999

Outer hair cells could be protected during intense noise exposure by the application of the calcium channel blocker diltiazem given before and after noise treatment. After various experimental approaches, the ultrastructural morphology was analysed for the different animal populations in the basal part of the second turn of the cochlea, which was the most destroyed area after an acute noise trauma caused by a gun shot (sound pressure at the ear drum 156 dB, frequency maximum between 4 and 6 kHz). Compared to untreated control specimens (experimental animal group I), the outer hair cells in the basal part of the second turn of the cochlea were mostly destroyed without any diltiazem applicati…

D1 receptors play a major role in the dopamine modulation of mouse ileum contractility

2010

Since the role of dopamine in the bowel motility is far from being clear, our aim was to analyse pharmacologically the effects of dopamine on mouse ileum contractility. Contractile activity of mouse ileum was examined in vitro as changes in isometric tension. Dopamine caused a concentration-dependent reduction of the spontaneous contraction amplitude of ileal muscle up to their complete disappearance. SCH-23390, D1 receptor antagonist, which per se increased basal tone and amplitude of spontaneous contractions, antagonized the responses to dopamine, whilst sulpiride or domperidone, D2 receptor antagonists, were without effects. The application of both D1 and D2 antagonists had additive effe…

Influence of different CyA formulations and calcium channel blocker phenyhidine regimens on intracellular (erythrocyte) calcium levels after kidney t…

1997

Gastroesophageal reflux in young children treated for esophageal atresia: evaluation with pH-multichannel intraluminal impedance

2011

Objectives: Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and dismotility occur frequently after repair of esophageal atresia (EA). GER-associated complications can manifest either early or later; then precocious diagnosis and treatment are essential. The aim of the study was to evaluate characteristics of GER and esophageal clearance in children treated for EA with distal tracheoesophageal fistula, using pH-multichannel intraluminal impedance (pH-MII). Patients and Methods: Twenty-two children (ages 3‐40 months) treated for EA at birth, and 20 normal children of similar age with suspected GER disease were included in the study. Impedance parameters were analyzed according to age and symptoms. Results: Ref…

Inhibition of intracellular Ca2+ release by a Rho-kinase inhibitor for the treatment of ischemic damage in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

2008

The effects of hydroxy fasudil, a specific Rho-kinase inhibitor, on behavior and brain neuronal activity in animal studies have been described previously. However, whether a Rho-kinase inhibitor can directly protect neurons against ischemic damage and the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are poorly understood. The present work was designed to investigate the effect of hydroxy fasudil against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) induced acute neuronal injury and the underlying mechanisms in vitro. Pretreatment with hydroxy fasudil at 5 and 10 microM could concentration-dependently improve cell viability and decrease Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level in extracellular solution of neur…

Antiproliferative effects of drugs affecting different signalling pathways on rat and human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

2015

Current treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) include pulmonary vasodilators which may also inhibit PASMC proliferation. The aim of this study was to compare the antiproliferative effects of multiple drugs on rat and human PASMC (rPASMC and hPMASC, respectively) in vitro. rPASMCs and hPASMC were starved for 24 h, then treated with different inhibitors and incubated for 48 h in 1% foetal calf serum plus endothelin-1, 5-HT and U46619. Cell number was estimated by the MTT test. Viable cells increased by 160-180% in 48 h. Activation of the cGMP pathway with the soluble guanylyl cyclase activators riociguat and YC-1 (≤ 10 µM) or the cAMP pathway by the adenylyl cyclase activator f…

Pharmacological Therapy in Children with Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter

2008

Heart rhythm disorders in children are not different, on electrocardiographic trace, from heart rhythm disorders in adults with the exception of incidence which is different according to the age. Paticularly, atrial flutter (FlA) and fibrillation (FA) are very uncommon arrhythmias in the general pediatric population. Generally atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, in our experience, is a temporary heart rhythm disturbance connected to specifical and resovable reasons with the exception of Fontains surgical correction of congenital heart diseases or cardiopathies with dilatation of both atria. Presenting symptoms, symptom history (e.g., frequency, duration, and severity), risk assessment, …

Hypoosmolar conditions reduce extracellular volume fraction and enhance epileptiform activity in the CA3 region of the immature rat hippocampus

2006

The osmolarity of the extracellular space (ECS) compartment is an important factor determining the excitability of neuronal tissue. In the adult hippocampus an important role of osmolarity and ECS diffusion parameters on the susceptibility to epileptic events is well established, but the influence of hypo- and hyperosmolar conditions on the immature hippocampus remains elusive. To investigate the influence of osmolarity on epileptiform activity, extracellular field potentials were recorded in the CA3 region of hippocampal slices of immature (postnatal days 4-7) Wistar rats. The ECS diffusion parameters were determined by the real-time tetramethylammonium (TMA+) iontophoretic method with ion…

Inhibition of ovarian steroidogenesis by cyclic-GMP in a fly

2003

1479-6805 0022-0795; Previous investigations in the female blowfly Phormia regina have shown that 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), a broad spectrum inhibitor of phosphodiesterases (PDEs), fails to mimic the steroidogenic effects of cAMP on ovaries, although it efficiently increases the concentrations of this second messenger. In this study, experiments carried out to clear up this contradiction demonstrated that IBMX, besides its effect on cAMP, also increased cGMP concentrations in blowfly ovary and that these two cyclic nucleotides controlled ovarian steroidogenesis antagonistically. In particular, a selective inhibitor of cGMP-specific PDEs, unlike IBMX, had a very strong negative eff…

Surgical sphincter saving approach and topical nifedipine for chronic anal fissure with hypertonic internal anal sphincter

2020

PURPOSE The role of augmented internal anal sphincter (IAS) tone in the genesis of posterior chronic anal fissure (CAPF) is still unknown. Lateral internal sphincterotomy is the most employed surgical procedure, nevertheless it is burdened by high risk post-operative anal incontinence. The aim of our study is to evaluate results of sphincter saving procedure with post-operative pharmacological sphincterotomy for patients affected by CAPF with IAS hypertonia. Methods: We enrolled 30 patients, undergone fissurectomy and anoplasty with V-Y cutaneous flap advancement; all patients received topical administration of nifedipine 0.3% and lidocaine 1.5% ointment-based therapy before and for 15 days…