Role of Carotid Body in Intermittent Hypoxia-Related Hypertension.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common breathing disorder, is recognized as an independent risk factor for systemic hypertension. Among the alterations induced by OSA, the chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is considered the main factor for the hypertension. Exposure of rodents to CIH is the gold-standard method to study the mechanisms involved in the cardiovascular alterations induced by OSA.

Uptake, translocation, and control of trumpet flower (Tecoma stans) with aminocyclopyrachlor.

To gain a better understanding of the physiology of the herbicide aminocyclopyrachlor in young plants of trumpet flower, the uptake and translocation were evaluated after the application of herbicide. This was determined by treating individual leaves with formulated herbicides plus (14)C-aminocyclopyrachlor after the application of the formulated herbicide. This experiment used a randomized experimental design with three replications.

Banana peel as an adsorbent for removing atrazine and ametryne from waters.

The feasibility of using banana peel for removal of the pesticides atrazine and ametryne from river and treated waters has been demonstrated, allowing the design of an efficient, fast, and low-cost strategy for remediation of polluted waters. The conditions for removal of these pesticides in a laboratory scale were optimized as sample volume = 50 mL, banana mass = 3.0 g, stirring time = 40 min, and no pH adjustment necessary.

Nitric oxide modulates the cardiovascular effects elicited by acetylcholine in the NTS of awake rats.

Microinjection of acetylcholine chloride (ACh) in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) of awake rats caused a transient and dose-dependent hypotension and bradycardia. Because it is known that cardiovascular reflexes are affected by nitric oxide (NO) produced in the NTS, we investigated whether these ACh-induced responses depend on NO in the NTS. Responses to ACh (500 pmol in 100 nl) were strongly reduced by ipsilateral microinjection of the NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 10 nmol in 100 nl) in the NTS: mean arterial pressure (MAP) fell by 50 +/- 5 mmHg before L-NAME to 9 +/- 4 mmHg, 10 min after L-NAME, and HR fell by 100 +/- 26 bpm before L-NAME to 20 +/- 10 bpm, 10 min after L-NAME (both P < 0.

Central nitric oxide modulates hindquarter vasodilation elicited by AMPA receptor stimulation in the NTS of conscious rats.

Microinjection of S-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) of conscious rats causes hypertension, bradycardia, and vasoconstriction in the renal, mesenteric, and hindquarter vascular beds. In the hindquarter, the initial vasoconstriction is followed by vasodilation with AMPA doses >5 pmol/100 nl. To test the hypothesis that this vasodilation is caused by activation of a nitroxidergic pathway in the NTS, we examined the effect of pretreatment with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 nmol/100 nl, microinjected into the NTS) on changes in mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and regional vascular conductance (VC) induced by microinjection of AMPA (10 pmol/100 nl in the NTS) in conscious rats.

Nitric oxide modulation of glutamatergic, baroreflex, and cardiopulmonary transmission in the nucleus of the solitary tract.

The neuromodulatory effect of NO on glutamatergic transmission has been studied in several brain areas. Our previous single-cell studies suggested that NO facilitates glutamatergic transmission in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). In this study, we examined the effect of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on glutamatergic and reflex transmission in the NTS.

Effect of nitric oxide on excitatory amino acid-evoked discharge of neurons in NTS.

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor subtypes are involved in the integration of visceral afferent inputs within the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Microinjection studies indicate interactions between nitric oxide (NO) and EAA receptors within the NTS. To examine these interactions at the single cell level, this study characterized the effects of the NO synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) and the NO donor 3-[2-hydroxy-2-nitroso-1-propylhydrazino]-1-propanamine (PAPA-NONOate) on the excitatory responses of vagus nerve (VN)-evoked NTS neurons to the activation of (RS)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and NMDA receptors in rats.

Cardiovascular mechanisms activated by microinjection of baclofen into NTS of conscious rats.

The peripheral mechanisms responsible for pressor response produced by microinjections of baclofen (GABA(B) agonist) into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) of conscious rats were studied. Bilateral microinjections of baclofen (10-1,000 pmol/100 nl) produced a dose-related increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate. The maximal response was observed after 15 min.